The truth comes out
by lexjl
Summary: Set ten years after Beginnings. The team gets a case in New Orleans, now JJ has to face her past and the impacts of the lies that were told. I don't own any CM characters. please read and review
1. Chapter 1

JJ was sitting at her desk finishing up paperwork before heading home, Mariah was with her mom for the week, she was wondering what Emily and Garcia were up to tonight.

"Hey JJ, we have a case." Hotch at the her office door

"A case, I don't have anything." JJ looking around her desk

"This case went to Rossi, it's an old friend. Wheels up in thirty." Hotch as he walked away.

She grabbed her go bag and phone, texting her mom as she walked into the bullpen.

"_We have a case, I'll call Mariah tonight. Love you both. JJ"_

"Does anyone know where we're going?" Morgan asked

"Nope, just we're leaving in thirty." Emily answered

"We should head out." JJ as she went to the elevator

"Riah still at your moms." Emily asked

"Yeah, until this weekend." JJ smiling

"How have you been handling that?" Morgan asked

"It's been kind of weird, she has stayed at moms before and I've been away on cases but never for two weeks straight. I am ready for her to come home." JJ told them

JJ's daughter was almost ten and her whole team loved the little girl, she still wished she would have went back when she turned eighteen but the fear he wouldn't want either of them stopped her even now. She blamed herself for Mariah not knowing her father.

"I bet she's having fun with all the animals" Spence told JJ

"You're right and I just really miss her." JJ

/

They all sat on the plane waiting to find out about the case and where they were going.

"A little over ten years ago, I worked a case where teenage girls were being strangled and left in the middle of fields." Rossi started looking at the team, he stopped at JJ.

"We never caught they guy, earlier one of the two cops I worked with then sent me this case, young women are now being strangled and left in the middle of fields. He is now working it along with his son." Rossi

"Ten years is a long cooling off period." Morgan

"Where is the other cop?" Reid

"These women are almost ten years older than the last victims." Emily

"Which is why he called the first victim is a red head just like the first teenage girl they found." Rossi

Hotch was looking at the older file when he noticed the second cops name, he looked at Rossi wondering when he was going to say something to JJ.

"Media will have a field day when they put the connection together." JJ stated

"Yeah about that, there is something you should know." Rossi looking at her

"Okay, what" JJ

"The retired cop was your dad." Rossi

Everyone looked at her.

"We're going to New Orleans. You worked with my dad." JJ almost in shock

"Yes to both" Rossi

JJ thought back to Rossi words the other detective and his son were working this case.

"Detective LaMontagne called you." JJ asked

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if you would remember him. Although when I realized that your dad was his partner, I mentioned that you might be coming with us, he almost insisted on it." Rossi told her

"I don't know if it's the best idea for me to work this case." JJ

"Why not? If you know the cop and the area it might be easier." Reid asked

"A couple of reasons, when the media puts the two cases together and they discover that my dad worked the original case it could cause a mess." JJ told them

She knew that seeing Will again would bring up issues and none of her team was blind Mariah looked too much like him.

"The other reasons." Hotch asked

"Are personal and I would really like to not get into them. My mom and I left one night and there weren't any goodbyes." JJ

"JJ I really need you on this case. You are the only person I know that can keep the media completely in check." Rossi

JJ thought about it for a minute, maybe it wouldn't be a big deal he couldn't already be married with other children. Maybe he had forgotten all about her, although his dad remembered her.

"Okay, I will work it." JJ

"If for reason it gets too much let me know and I'll pull you." Hotch

"We might need to talk to your dad." Reid

"Good luck with that I haven't spoken with him since my junior year at Georgetown." JJ as she pulled out her phone.

"Everyone get some rest we are hitting the ground running." Hotch

/

JJ sat on the couch, Emily sat next to her reading, while JJ texted her mom.

"_Case is in New Orleans. JJ"_

"_You okay" Sandy Jareau texted back_

"_Oh it gets better Mr. LaMontagne is the one that called us in. He is working it with his son and apparently dad worked the original case. JJ"_

"_Get off the plane; we both know this could get very ugly. Mom"_

"_I can't I still have a job to do. How is Mariah? JJ"_

"_She's fine; I need to feed her and Ben. I love you. Call me if you need anything. Mom"_

"_I love you too. I'll call tonight. JJ"_

_/_

"You okay" Emily

"Yeah, I just." JJ looking around at the guys to see if they were listening, she needed to tell someone.

"When I left New Orleans, I was pregnant. I didn't get a chance to even talk to Mariah's dad. My dad made me leave the night I found out." JJ told her

"That sucks. You didn't come back" Emily

"I was sixteen, he was eighteen, my dad threatened to press charges. By the time I turned eighteen he would have been away at college and then I was afraid he wouldn't want either of us." JJ trying to explain

Emily was trying to figure out what this had to do with the case.

"His dad was my dad's partner. He wanted to be a cop like his dad." JJ

"Oh, oh we are going to be working with Mariah's dad." Emily

"He was the only boy and it won't take long for the rest of them to figure it out she looks almost exactly like him." JJ

"Maybe you should tell them before we get there." Emily suggested

"It could affect the case and that's the last thing I want." JJ told her

"But them putting it together could make them loose focus." Emily

"You're right, I need to them." JJ

"Don't do anything you don't want too. You know we all respect the choices you have made for Mariah and they will on this too." Emily

JJ wanted to tell Emily she blamed herself for Mariah not knowing her father and that she still loved Will and that she didn't come back because of fear. She didn't feel she deserved their respect.

"I need to think about it." JJ told her

"Hey ladies were getting ready to land." Morgan

JJ and Emily put their things away and buckled up.

/

When the pulled up to the police station, JJ noticed Detective LaMontagne before she noticed Will. Rossi had said that the detective almost insisted that she come she wondered if he had told Will she was coming. He still took her breath away from her. Her phone rang as she got out of the car; Emily was standing next to her.

"You weren't kidding" Emily commented

"Hello" JJ shaking her head at Emily as she answered the phone.

"Mommy, Nana got me a horse." Mariah told her

"Because you needed a horse" JJ replied as she stopped at the bottom of the stairs

"I did Nana said so. Are you coming here soon?" Mariah

"Right now I am working but when I get done I will be coming there. Is something wrong?" JJ, almost hoping there was.

"No, I just miss you. I've been here for a long time." Mariah

"I know, I miss you too. I have to go but I'll call you tonight." JJ

"Okay mommy I love you" Mariah

"I love you more" JJ

She took a deep breath before joining the team, she noticed Morgan look from her back to Will.

"You both know Agent Jareau" Rossi

"Yes, it's good to see you again Jen." Bill told her

"It's good to see both of you again too." JJ shaking both of their hands

"Please tell me that was a reporter yet" Hotch

"When have you ever heard J tell a reporter that she loves them?" Morgan

"Usually she is threating to shot one of them." Spencer

"Because some of them need to be taken out and no it wasn't a reporter." JJ

"Is Mariah okay?" Rossi asked

"Yes she's fine. My mom got her a horse for her birthday." JJ

"Her birthday's not for a month and she'll be ten why does she need a horse." Spencer

JJ stood there for a minute out of the corner of her eye she noticed the shocked expression on both detectives face.

"All little girls want a horse. JJ while you were on the phone we all agreed that talking to your dad would probably help." Emily

"I don't have a clue where he is or how to contact him." JJ

"You don't talk to Tom." Bill asked

"No, not for about five years" JJ answered

"He's here; bought the house you lived in." Will finally talking

"He did what" JJ

"Yeah, I seen him a couple of months ago working in the yard." Will

He had been watching to see if JJ brought Mariah here, she knew it.

"I don't know if he'll come in." Bill

JJ shook her head "Morgan where are the keys."

"I have them" Morgan

"Give them here" JJ

"Where are you going?" Hotch

"To get him." JJ now just mad

"I don't know if that's a good idea." Rossi

"He won't come in any other way and probably isn't even sober." JJ

"And you going there does what" Reid

"He will at least have to talk" JJ, she knew that Emily wouldn't say anything

"Jen, why don't Will or I go get your dad." Bill trying to reason with her

"He's not going to tell you the truth." JJ, looking at him

Will mumbled something she didn't hear what it was, but since she was already mad she turned to look at him

"What?" JJ asked

"I didn't say anything." Will

"You started to mumble something, so just say it." JJ

"You two do not start, at least not in front everyone." Bill

JJ just stared at Will, she could tell he was mad and neither of them was listening to his dad. The team just watched them; they hadn't seen this side of JJ.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant with our child?" Will finally asked


	2. Chapter 2

"Who the hell said that she was yours?" JJ spat back out, remembering what her dad said when he came back

_He told me that baby probably wasn't even his, that you were a slut that had been passed from one friend to another her dad told her._

Before Will could answer anything

"That's enough from both of you." Bill giving them both the look that dared either one of them to say a word

"You two need to talk but not on the street in front of everyone." Hotch

"We don't need to talk about anything. You guys what to talk to my dad let me go get him." JJ

"Will can go with you." Rossi

"I don't need a babysitter and" JJ before she was interrupted

"It's not up for debate. If you go to bring him in then someone is going with you and right now that someone will be Will." Hotch told her

JJ's phone rang before she could reply to Hotch

/

"Hello" JJ

"You in the field" Lauren, JJ's older sister

"No but I am working. Is everything ok?" JJ being short

"I know I am at moms. There is a problem here and Shane thought I should tell you. Actually several problems." Lauren

"Shane is he working." JJ

"Yes, he was called in to a case here several missing little girls, which is why I am calling you now." Lauren

'Missing little girls" JJ repeated

"Yes, over the last two weeks five little girls have went missing and" Lauren but JJ interrupted her

"Mom hasn't said anything. Where's Mariah at?" JJ starting to panic

"They haven't made it public yet and she is playing with Macy and Ben. The missing girls are around her age; Shane thinks I should bring her to you or take her to your house." Lauren told her

JJ stood there for a minute

"Shane thinks she could be a target, where is he at. Why are they just now making it public?" JJ

"On the phone, I am not sure with who or what for. They found one of the little girl's bodies. The girls had two connections Jen." Lauren told her

"And that is." JJ

"They were all born to single teenage mothers and their families had recently bought a horse." Lauren

"Take her to my house; I am on the next flight I can get home." JJ told her sister

"Jen, I will keep her protected. Mom said you were working with Will and his dad." Lauren

"Right" JJ

"Mariah and Ben were in the attic looking for something and came across a box full letters." Lauren

"Okay" JJ getting annoyed

"They were all addressed to you, only the first one was open and they were from Will. Dad's writing was on the box." Lauren

"I can't deal with that right now. Please take Mariah to my house, mom has keys if she doesn't let me know and I will have Garcia meet you there." JJ

"JJ wait a minute." Hotch from behind her

"Why?" JJ turning around, seeing the whole team plus Will and his dad looking concerned

"I am on the phone with Shane; give us a couple of moments." Hotch

"Lauren, don't do anything yet. Let me call you right back." JJ

"Okay" Lauren

JJ stood there staring at Hotch, she wanted Mariah with her. JJ remembered promising Mariah that she would always keep her safe.

"Let me see what JJ thinks" Hotch told Shane

"What did Shane say?" JJ asked

"We need to go somewhere and talk, all of us." Hotch

"Come on we can use the conference room." Bill

/

They all walked into the room, JJ didn't move more than two feet from the door

"Why am I still here?" JJ asked

"Shane doesn't think Lauren should take Mariah back to your house." Hotch

"Why not?" Emily asked

"He thinks the unsub has been watching the girls before he takes them, if that's the case then the unsub knows where you live and it wouldn't be safe for her." Hotch

"She's not staying there." JJ

"Lauren needs to bring her here." Rossi told JJ

"I am not working while my daughter is in danger and what if this person follows her, and then we have two crazy people running around the city." JJ

"You've lived here this place is full of crazy people." Bill

"Nobody expects you to work." Morgan

"Okay well then that puts two crazier people in the city and if I am not working then why would Lauren bring her here." JJ

"Her family is here and we are all allowed to carry guns, nobody will get near her." Emily almost promising JJ with her voice

These were the times in the past that JJ wished that she could ask Will what he thought and now he was in the same room and she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I she can't be locked in a hotel room all day. It's better if I take her home or if that's not safe somewhere else." JJ

The whole team was trying to figure out how to get JJ to change her mind, they all knew when it came to Mariah, JJ would do what she thought was best. None of them had questioned that until now.

"Jen, take her to dads. She has the yard to run around in and you know the area." Will finally spoke up

"He's right and the house hasn't changed, less crowded but nothing's changed." Bill agreeing

"I can't" JJ, not sure if it was about Will or her dad

"If this is about earlier" Morgan started until JJ turned to look at him

"That has nothing to do with either cases." JJ

"Stop being stubborn, I'll stay away from the house if that's what you're worried about." Will

Right now, JJ wanted to punch him she knew he was right.

"I am not worried about you. Mariah is my only concern." JJ spat out

"I am going to call Shane and have Lauren bring her here. That gives you a couple of hours to decide if she stays here or you take her somewhere else. Dave will tell everyone else what is going to happen with this case." Hotch walking out of the room

"Reid, Emily, Morgan and I are going to where the body was found with Bill." Rossi told the group.

"The two of you are going to JJ's dad's house and see if you can get him to come in. JJ it's the only thing I need you to do and I expect both of you to come back." Rossi instructed.

Everyone shook their heads and went off to their assignment.

/

JJ and Will took one of the NOPD unmarked cars

"Did you mean it?" JJ asked

"Mean what?" Will asked

"That you would stay away" JJ, she was almost hoping he would say no

"If that's what you think is best and keeps her safe, doesn't mean I don't want to see her." Will

"Did you mean what you told my dad?" JJ in a whisper

"What did I tell your dad?" Will now confused

"When I left, you told him I was past from friend to friend." JJ whispered

Will stopped the car; she noticed that they were on the road that went to Will's house.

"What are you talking about?" Will

"You were visiting Tulane, making a decision on if you want to go there. When you got back he said he came to talk to you and when he came back he said that you told him that." JJ

"Why would I tell him that? We both know that's not true." Will

"I thought I was pregnant before you left but was afraid to tell you, my mom came in after I took the test and they both found out I was pregnant. My dad wouldn't let me tell you, he said he was telling you. He told me that you didn't want me or the baby around; that she wasn't yours and that I was slut that had been passed from friend to friend." JJ trying to explain, more because she didn't know what to do regarding Mariah

"I swear to you that I didn't say any of that and until an hour ago I didn't know about you being pregnant or that we had a child. I went to your house the next day and all he would tell me is that you were gone and if I contacted you he would press charges." Will he was in shock and mad at the same time

"Lauren said something about letters" JJ

"I wrote you all the time and sent them to your address in PA. There is only one I didn't send and I still have it." Will

"I don't know what to do about Mariah staying here or leaving. I just want her safe." JJ admitted

"Jen, please leave her here. I promise you that she will be safe and I will stay away." Will

"No" JJ

"No what" Will

"I have to ask Will." JJ

"Ask anything." Will

"Are you sure you want to see her, be a part of her life? I will do everything in my power to protect her and that means from her getting hurt by you." JJ

/

Will looked at her before he answered he wasn't sure if the fear in her eyes was about Mariah being a target or him rejecting both of them.

"Before I answer I need to ask you something and I will explain why I am asking." Will

"Okay" JJ

"Who has been helping you raise her?" Will asked

"My mom mostly, she knows the team as family." JJ confused

"Jen, does she know someone as dad." Will

"No, she does have the guys on the team, my brother and Shane but they are all her uncles." JJ

"I want to see her and yes I want to be a part of her life. I asked you that because I know this is confusing for us, I can imagine how confusing this will be for her and I didn't want to make things worse for her." Will told her

"So if she already had a dad, you wouldn't." JJ

"No, I would still want to know her but things would need to be different. Jen, I am not willing to give up my child but I will not be the reason she would be pain or confused and hurt." Will

"I'll see if my mom will come down and stay at your dads, but I want to take things slow. She's smart and is going to know she's related to you if she ask questions I will answer them and probably honestly. And I don't want you to stay away." JJ told him

"Okay, can we talk more later about everything, not the case. Do you mean both of you?" Will

"Yes we can talk and what do you mean?" JJ, knowing they should be getting her dad.

"You said you didn't want me to stay away, does that mean I get to be around both of you." Will

"Yeah, we are going to at least be friends. We should go to my dad's." JJ

"Friends" Will as he started driving


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure they are going to be okay?" Emily asked as she watched JJ and Will get into the unmarked car.

"Yes, JJ knows what needs to be done and they need to talk." Rossi replied

"Will would be the one to not come back." Bill told her

"I am still not sure that they should be alone together." Emily

"JJ will do what she thinks is best for Mariah stop worrying Em." Morgan

Spencer was already in the SVU Emily, Morgan, Rossi and Bill joined him. Hotch was on the phone with Strauss trying to explain to her both cases.

\

"Ma'am we need to be a part of both cases." Hotch

"How do you plan on doing that Aaron? The cases are in two different states." Strauss

"With your permission I will split my team into two different groups. Agent Jareau's bother in law is the lead for the case in Pennsylvania we can work with him from here while the other group works with Detective LaMontagne." Hotch

"You think it will work that way." Strauss asked

"Yes, Dave and I both do. Since we are not in the same town as the missing little girls the emotions of the town cannot hinder our profile, not that it has in the past." Hotch; he didn't want to bring up any of JJ's link to either case.

"How does Agent Jareau feel about her father being a part of the original case?" Strauss asked

_Damn it,_ Hotch thought to himself

"She is just fine. JJ knows what are job is and has no problems working this case." He told Strauss.

"Since both Dave and you believe this can work we will try it. But Agent Scott is the lead on the case in Pennsylvania; he can send you all the information." Strauss

"Thank you Ma'am." Hotch as he hung up the phone.

They now get to work both cases; he had to remember to tell Rossi that he included him in the good idea and find a way for JJ to stay in New Orleans.

\

JJ was wondering why he said friends the way he did, she was still trying to figure out if bringing Mariah here was a good idea when her thoughts were interrupted.

"Sorry what?" JJ asked

"How do you feel about seeing your dad?" Will asked

"Right now I am not sure. He has lied to me for the last ten years about the most important person in my life and I knew it or felt it." JJ

"Can you explain the last part more?" Will

"I didn't believe him when he came home but when he said he would press charges against you I went back and didn't fight it. I wrote in a journal the whole time I was pregnant letting the baby know that her parents loved each other." JJ

"Why didn't you fight?" Will

"I couldn't be the reason you didn't go to college or become a cop. I love you too much for that." JJ trying to explain

Will caught the love and not loved part of her explanation as they pulled up to the house.

"Maybe I should go first." JJ

"Jen are you sure?" Will

"Yes, it will probably be better." JJ as she opened the door getting out of the car

/

Tom Jareau was sitting in his living room, listening to the radio, when he heard the car pull into the drive way. He looked out the window in time to see her get out of the car, he smiled to himself she managed to make something of herself. He also watched as the other person in the care got out. _This could be interesting_ he thought.

"Jennifer" Tom as he walked out of the house.

"Yes" JJ, she realized seeing him made her feel nothing but hate for her father.

"I was wondering when you would come." Tom told her

"You don't look surprise to see me." JJ

"As soon as I heard about the case, I knew Bill would call in the FBI." Tom

"The team would like to talk to you about the first case." JJ

"So the sent the two of you." Tom looking over at Will before looking back at JJ.

"I sent me; I was hoping you would come without making a big deal out of it." JJ

"Sorry, I can't help with this case." Tom

"You can't or won't." JJ

"Can't. The two of you can go back to the station." Tom

"I knew you wouldn't come, I still don't know why I thought I should come here. You could help if you wanted too but you would rather be selfish and once again only think of yourself." JJ

"You can think that. I have only ever done what I felt is the right thing even for the two of you and Mariah." Tom

"Don't, this has nothing to do with Will or me. As far as Mariah goes you have never done anything that was right by her." JJ spat out as she went to walked away.

"Jennifer that is not true." Tom watched as Will walked closer to them

"It is you lied to me." JJ

"The two of you would have insisted on getting married. Neither of you would have gone to college or would be doing the jobs that you are. What would that have given her? Parents who resented each other and possibly her, I did want I thought was right." Tom

"You can believe that all you want. But it should have been our choice and not yours." JJ

"Jen, we need to go back to the station." Will

"Yeah, let's go." JJ turned to walking to the care

"The last victim will be a blonde and look a lot like Jen." Tom told him

Will stopped this meant she could be a target too.

"How do you know that?" Will asked

"Ask your dad. I'll meet the two of you at the station." Tom as he went into the house.

/

"_Hey need you to do me a favor. EM"_

"_Anything for you. PG"_

"_I need you to run a name, without telling anyone. EM"_

"_An unsub? PG"_

"_No, Mariah's dad, he's a cop here. I'll explain later. EM"_

"_What? Why hasn't JJ said anything? Give me the name. PG"_

"_William LaMontagne Jr. Just look to see if he was any other kids, girlfriends, wife, etc. He seems to be a good guy. You CANT tell JJ, I think she is still in love with him. EM"_

"_I'll let you know what I find. PG"_

Emily felt bad for checking out the cop and she knew JJ would be upset, she had come to think of JJ as a little sister and Mariah as a niece she didn't want to see either of them hurt.

"Emily, you okay working this case with Spencer, Bill and me." Rossi asked he had just gotten off the phone with Hotch.

"This case" Emily asked

"Yes, Hotch convinced Strauss to let us work both the case here and the case with Shane from here." Rossi explaining

"Yeah, I am okay with that. Does anyone know what JJ is planning on doing?" Emily

"Not yet, she is going to call after she leaves her dads." Rossi

Emily shook her head and started looking around the field for anything to help her understand this guy. She heard a phone ring, hoping it was JJ and not another body.

"Okay, we will meet the two of you back there" Bill

Emily was sure he was talking to Will and not JJ

"Has Jen made a decision on what she is going to do?" Bill asked

There was a pause as he listened to Will

"Of course I don't have a problem with that Jen should know that. We can talk when we get back. Is Tom coming?" Bill

Another pause

"Okay." Bill as he hung up

"Jen, Will and Tom are going to meet us at the station. She is going to call her mom to see if she will come down to stay with Mariah when Jen needs to work." Bill told the team

"Okay we should start back." Morgan, glad JJ had changed her mind

They all walked to the car.

/

JJ and Will waited for her dad, following him to the station.

"You okay" JJ asked

"Yeah, I should be asking you that." Will still thinking about what her dad had said about the last victim and JJ

"I'm fine and you're not telling me something." JJ

"You can still tell. Did you hear what he said about the last victim?" Will

"Yes, I can" Mariah makes the same face JJ thought "No, I was to far away."

"He said the last victim would be blonde and probably look like you." Will

"You're worried about me? I'll be fine." JJ

"Great now I get to worry about Mariah and you." Will

"Only worry about Mariah." JJ

"You are still stubborn. Why did you say the Mariah would know that she's related to me?" Will asked changing the subject

"She looks like you only two differences are she has blue eyes and her hair is lighter than yours. But acts just like me." JJ laughing

"Great two stubborn girls in my life." Will

"You should call your dad and let him know what's going on. Please make sure he's okay with my mom coming here and staying at the house too." JJ

"You know he isn't going to care, but I'll ask." Will

JJ looked out the window as Will called his dad, she kept going to all the things they had done together and how Mariah was finally going to meet her dad. She had to call her mom to see if she would come here and explain everything.


	4. Chapter 4

JJ and Will pulled up to the police station; she noticed the rest of her team pull up behind her dad.

"I'm going to call my mom before I go in." she told Will

"Okay, do you want me to wait?" Will asked

"No, I'll be fine and I have a lot to tell her." JJ

"I'll see you in there." Will as he got out of the car

JJ hit the button for her mom.

"Jen is everything okay." Sandy

"Yeah, I'll be leaving the station in the next half an hour to go to the airport. I need to talk to you about a couple of things." JJ

"Okay" Sandy

"Will didn't know about Mariah, dad never told him." JJ

"What? Your dad left to talk to him." Sandy

"I know and I still don't know where he went but he didn't tell Will or his dad. Dad said he was doing what he thought was best for both of us." JJ

"Hold on, you spoke with your dad." Sandy

"Yeah, he bought the house we lived in and with this case being so similar to the one he worked on the team wanted to talk to him." JJ explaining more

"Wow that is the last place I thought he would be." Sandy

"I know. I was wondering if you could come here. Mr. Lamontagne said that I could stay at his house with Mariah but I will still need to work with the media." JJ

"How do you feel about staying there? And what has Will said." Sandy

"I am okay. Will said he wanted to know her but if I wanted he would stay away from the house. Mom, I don't want him to stay away from her and I do know that I will have to explain a lot of things to her; but she needs to know her dad and I need to stop letting my fears keep her from knowing him." JJ

"Jen, your right she needs to know him and Bill but none of this is your fault. Your dad shouldn't have lied and I should have stood up to him." Sandy

"I should have come back here when I turned eighteen and graduated." JJ

"We both can play the blame game and it will go nowhere. Yes, I can come down." Sandy

"Thanks, I'll have Garcia book you a flight and send you the information." JJ

"Jen, I don't want to see your dad." Sandy

"No problem neither do I." JJ

"Bye" Sandy

As JJ hung up her phone beeped, it was a message from Garcia; as soon as she opened she knew it was meant for Emily

"_Hey Em, I ran his information. Never married, no relationships that have lasted more than 2 months from what I can tell and no other children. It does look like he is raising his sister's son, she died three years ago. PG."_

Kirsten was dead; JJ thought to herself, she hadn't asked about her yet. She couldn't believe that Emily had Garcia run a check on Will.

"Hey gumdrop" Garcia

"Hey I need you to book my mom a flight here and send her the information. Put it on my card." JJ

"Okay. Everything else going okay." Garcia

"My dad is here and your running checks on my ex-boyfriend, it's great." JJ

"Oh, I sent that to you too. Crap Emily is going to kill me." Garcia

"Don't worry I'll deal with her. If anyone has or does ask tell them to talk to me." JJ told her

"JJ why didn't you tell me?" Garcia asked

"It's been kind of crazy, but I promise we will talk. I have to go." JJ

"Okay gumdrop." Garcia

/

In the conference room

Emily was listening to Tom Jareau talk about the old case when her phone beeped.

"_Hey Em, I ran his information. Never married, no relationships that have lasted more than 2 months from what I can tell and no other children. It does look like he is raising his sister's son, she died three years ago. PG."_

Okay so he's not a bad guy Emily thought to herself. JJ walked back in the room and smiled at her.

"I can't believe this guy is back." Tom

"We'll have more questions if you don't mind sticking around." Rossi

Tom looked at JJ before answering "That's fine."

"I need to go to the airport; Emily do you want to go with me?" JJ

"Yeah as long as it's okay with everyone else." Emily

"Go with JJ" Hotch

"You're bringing her back here." Morgan asked

"I wasn't planning on bringing her to the station." JJ

"I meant you're staying here." Morgan

"Yeah, my mom is coming tomorrow. She will keep Mariah when I have to work." JJ told them

"You're bringing Mariah here?" Tom asked

"Yes." JJ answered simply

"Why there is someone going around murdering people and you think she should be here?" Tom

This comment made JJ see red, she couldn't believe he was questioning her.

"Let's get a couple of things straight." JJ started staring at her dad, not caring who was in the room.

"First, the only reason I came to see you today was because of this case and the case you had worked on if they hadn't been similar I wouldn't have come out there today. Second, after everything that I have learned today you have no right to question anything that I do. Third, Mariah is completely off limits to you. That does include questioning my decisions when it comes to my daughter." JJ finished

The whole room was silent; no one was crazy enough to get in the middle of the father and daughter.

"I can't believe that your mom is agreeing to this plan. Neither of them needs to be in the middle of case." Tom

"Are you going to call her and try to get your way? By the way Mom doesn't want to see you either. Help with the case but stay out of everything else." JJ

"Jennifer it's not a good idea for Mariah to be here. When we worked the case ten years ago the last victim looked enough like you that several of the cops thought it was you, now these victims look like those girls. Ask Bill or Rossi." Tom

JJ looked at both Bill and Rossi for confirmation of what he said, they both nodded.

"There's a case in Pennsylvania where little girls are missing. Shane thinks Mariah could be a target of the unsub there." Rossi explained a little more

"The cases are linked together." Tom told them

"What?" JJ

"Check into missing little girls there ten years ago. It will follow the same timeline; I didn't know about it at the time and discovered it about a year after we moved back." Tom

"Why didn't you report it?" JJ asked

"I did I sent the report to the FBI." Tom told her

"She's still a target." JJ almost in tears.

Everyone looked at each other, trying to figure out the best way to keep both JJ and Mariah safe.

"We are splitting into two teams' right" Will asked

"Yes." Hotch answered

"The team that is working the missing little girls' case works from dads. There is plenty of room, the backroom is big enough to spread out and be comfortable and far enough away for Mariah not to hear anything about the case but close enough if something happens." Will explained

"That way there is always someone with Jen and Mariah." Bill, he was thinking about losing his daughter to soon. He knew that Tom and Sandy had already lost one child and couldn't imagine if they lost another.

"We should bring Garcia here too." Rossi

"I'll get her here. JJ if your mom can come tonight, I'll have the plan make a stop to get her." Hotch

JJ couldn't answer, she was still trying to process that Mariah would still be a target even there with JJ.

"JJ" Rossi

"Sorry, I'll call my mom. I need to head to the airport." JJ

"JJ we are all going to protect her and you." Morgan

"I know. Emily are you ready." JJ asked

"Yes, let's go." Emily getting up.

"We'll meet you at the house." Bill told her

"Okay" JJ as she walked out the door.

"Jen, wait a minute." Will

"Walk and talk" JJ told him

/

Outside

Emily went to get the car while Will talked to JJ.

"You are coming back right." Will asked

"Yes" JJ confused

"It's just that one day you where here and the next day you wasn't." Will

"I promise we will be at the house." JJ

"I need to tell you something." Will

"Okay" JJ

"Kirsten was killed about three years ago in a car crash; she had a little boy that I've been raising. I didn't want you to be surprised because Luke will be at the house." Will told her

"I am so sorry about Kirsten and I can't wait to meet her son. Will this could put him in danger too." JJ

"I promise you that I will protect all three of you. I just didn't want you to think that I couldn't love Mariah because of Luke." Will

"I don't think that. You already do and haven't even met her yet." JJ as she rubbed his arm.

"Go get our daughter. We can talk more later." Will


	5. Chapter 5

JJ walked up to the car, getting in on the passenger side.

"You okay driving?" she asked Emily

"Yes, I'll follow the GPS. You okay?" Emily

"I was until my dad said that the cases could be linked." JJ

"How are you and Will?" Emily asked

"Speaking of your in so much trouble." JJ

"Why?" Emily asked

"Garcia accidently texted my when she texted you; I can't believe you had her run Will's information." JJ shaking her head.

"JJ I am sorry. You know I think of you as family but I shouldn't have done that." Emily

"It's okay I know why you did it and thank you for caring. Will and I have a lot to work out still." JJ

"Keep talking JJ, I know that you have been holding things in at least when it comes to Will." Emily

"He wants to know her, which is great and it's what I have wanted for the last ten years. But know I have to explain everything to her and need to find a way to make it up to both of them." JJ

"Keep going." Emily

"Just now, he wanted to make sure that I was coming back and not just leaving again without saying anything. He told me about Luke, Kirsten's son, and that he would be at the house. Will didn't want me surprised but I am now worried about putting him in danger." JJ

"What did Will say about that?" Emily asked

"That he would protect all three of us; he was worried I would think that he could love Mariah because of Luke." JJ

"You two are still in love each other." Emily

"I don't know how he feels." JJ told Emily

"How are you going to explain all this to Mariah?" Emily

"I have no idea. I have to call my mom about leaving tonight." JJ realizing they were half to the airport

JJ grabbed her phone.

/

"Hello" Sandy

"Hey mom" JJ

"What's going on? Did something happen?" Sandy

"No can you leave tonight?" JJ asked

"Yes, Shane just told me the plan. He spoke with Agent Hotchner." Sandy

"Okay. Do you still have all the Mariah's baby stuff?" JJ asked

"Yes" Sandy

"Is there any way you could get my journal and bring it with you?" JJ

"The one from when you were pregnant. Do you want me to bring the letters from Will?" Sandy

"Yes to both. I am thinking that maybe the journal can help me explain things to Mariah. You should also know that Kirsten was killed in a car accident a couple years ago, Will is raising her son." JJ taking a breath

"I hate that for them. I remember how close Kirsten and Will were, is her son going to be out at the house." Sandy

"Yes, his name is Luke." JJ

"Okay" Sandy

"Mom, I don't know how the cases are going right now. But dad seems to think they are linked, he may be a part of the investigation. I think the team will keep him away from the house but I can't promise that." JJ

"Jen, no matter what I am going to be there for you and Mariah. I will help you with all this." Sandy

"Thank you mom." JJ

"I have to go. Be safe. I love you." Sandy

"Me too." JJ

/

Twenty minutes later

JJ and Emily walked to the baggage claim that Lauren had said they were at.

"Mommy" Mariah yelled as she ran towards JJ.

"Hey Baby. I missed you." JJ hugging her

"Me too. Aunt Lauren said I was staying with you." Mariah

"You are and Nana is coming later tonight with Aunt Pen." JJ

"Is everything going okay?" Lauren asked

"They are going. When's your flight?" JJ

"About an hour." Lauren

"Let's find a place to sit and I'll tell you more." JJ

"Emily it's good to see you again." Lauren

"You too; Mariah do you want to go get a drink." Emily asked.

"Can I mommy?" Mariah

"Yes, but stay close to Emily." JJ

"Okay" Mariah as she grabbed Emily's hand

/

"Shane said dad was working with the team." Lauren

"Yeah, he bought the house we lived in when we were here. He thinks the case here and the case Shane is working on is linked." JJ

"Are you okay working with him and Will?" Lauren worried

"Did mom tell you that Will didn't know about Mariah?" JJ asked

"No" Lauren

"Dad didn't tell him or his dad. Dad said he was doing what he thought was best for us and Mariah. It's been kind of crazy we haven't had a lot of time to talk but he wants to know her and be a part of her life." JJ

"Dad knew about the letters and he sat there while you were in pain. How was any of that the best thing for you or Mariah?" Lauren

"I have no idea but now I have to figure out how to explain all of this to Mariah without my own feelings getting involved." JJ

"Your feelings about dad or for Will." Lauren

"Both when I saw dad all I felt was hate. He lied to me about Mariah for the last ten years and played on my fears about bringing her to see Will, I don't blame him for it all I made the decision not to come back and I still regret that choice." JJ told her sister

"And Will" Lauren

"I still love him. I mean he's Mariah's dad, there will always be a part of me that loves him because of that. Lauren, when I saw him for the first time today he still took my breath away. I don't know how to handle that part of all this and he was worried I would leave and not come back again." JJ

"Jen, you two will work it out. Mariah is going to get to know the rest of her family. It's going to take some time; Dad has managed to play a number on both of you." Lauren

"Thank you for the advice and bringing her here." JJ

"I will always be there for the two of you. Never forget that." Lauren

Lauren told JJ, Emily and Mariah goodbye before going to her plane and promised JJ she would text her when she landed.

/

Back in the car

"Ria mommy needs to you to listen carefully to me ok." JJ started

"Okay mommy." Mariah

Emily looked over at JJ, wondering where she was going to start.

"When we spoke earlier I told you I was working, do you remember." JJ

"Yes" Mariah

"I am still working and so is the rest of the team. We are going to stay at friend's house while we're here." JJ started

"Do I know the friend?" Mariah

"No, mommy lived her a long time ago with nana and my dad; it was before you were born. But while we are here I want you to remember your manors and that you are not allowed to run in and out of the house. I will be with you most of the time but sometimes nana will be watching you." JJ

"When you have to work?" Mariah asked

"Yes, Ria what is my rule if I bring home work?" JJ, hoping that she remembered

"That I am not allowed to get into the folder without asking first and I am not allowed to interrupt you while you are on a call." Mariah repeat

"You are correct and that applies here too. But I am going to show you a room at the house we are staying at that you must knock on before going in and wait until someone opens it and you are only to knock on the door if it is really important." JJ

"Okay, I can remember that. Is there going to be any other kids?" Mariah

"Yes, a little boy his name is Luke." JJ

"I'll be good I promise." Mariah

Emily laughed a little Mariah had given JJ the same look JJ gives the guys when she is done talking about a certain topic.

"What?" JJ

"She just looked exactly like you." Emily smiling

"It happens from time to time." JJ laughing

"Do you think she will notice?" Emily whispered

"Yeah, maybe not at first but she will notice." JJ whispered back

They had pasted the station and both Emily and JJ noticed that the SUV's were still parked out front.

"Should we call and find out?" Emily asked

"I'll call Morgan to find out, but I can't work right now." JJ as she pulled out her phone.

/

"Hey JJ, did you get Ria?" Morgan

"Yeah, we just passed the station at noticed the cars; did something happen." JJ asked

"We are getting ready to leave. I was actually getting ready to call you." Morgan told her

"Why?" JJ asked, worried that her dad was coming to Bill's house.

"Detective LaMontagne is going to some place called Moe's and he wanted to know what to get the three of you." Morgan

"Morgan, everyone wants Cheeseburgers, onion rings, a milk shake and a brownie. Trust me." JJ

She heard Morgan laughing

"What?" JJ

"You know the only two things you get completely serious about, outside of work, is Mariah and food." Morgan

"Two important things" JJ laughing

"Do you want the same thing for Mariah?" Morgan

"Yes, only a smaller version. Mariah do you want a strawberry or chocolate shake?" JJ

"Both mixed together." Mariah

"Emily?"

"Strawberry and Fries" Emily

"Did you hear that?" JJ asked Morgan

"I heard Emily, but I didn't her Ria." Morgan

"She wants them to mix chocolate and strawberry. I want strawberry." JJ

"You really need to keep her away from Garcia and Reid." Morgan

"I really think that is really more from my brothers than the two of them." JJ

"Okay, we should be there in about ten minutes." Morgan

"Bye" JJ

"Cheeseburgers?" Emily

"Yes, they are the best I've had and the brownie is probably as big as Mariah's head." JJ told her

"I am all about that." Emily

"It's the next driveway." JJ told Emily

/

When Emily pulled up to the house, JJ realized that it still looked the same.

"Mommy are we here?" Mariah asked

"Yes and you can play in the yard until everyone gets here. But stay where I can see you." JJ

"Okay" Mariah as she opened the car door.

"Wow, they weren't playing when they said there was lots of room for her to run." Emily

"Yeah, I think I spent more time here than at the house we lived at. My mom worked nights at the hospital and my dad seemed to work all the time, so Will's mom agreed I could stay here on the nights my mom was on third shift." JJ

"Is that how we got Mariah?" Emily, looking down the road hearing a car

"No actually. It's wasn't until after she had passed away that Mariah came to be." JJ informed Emily

JJ noticed the car, wondering if it was Will or not.

"Mariah come here." JJ yelled

Emily, Mariah, and JJ watched as the car pulled up behind them, it wasn't Will, but a woman with lite brown hair and a little boy. JJ noticed the little boy looked a lot like Kirsten, but wasn't sure who the women was.

"Can I help you?" the women asked as she got out of the car.

The little boy jumped out of the car running over to Mariah, who was standing next to JJ.

"Luke, please get back in the car." The women as she looked back at JJ and Emily.

"No, thank you we are waiting on both Detective LaMontagne and Will." Emily

"Oh, do they know that you are here?" she asked

"Yes, they do." JJ answered annoyed or jealous she wasn't sure

"I am Kim, a friend of Wills." Kim told them looking at JJ

"You look like the person in the picture with my mom and Uncle Will." Luke as he looked at JJ.

"I maybe the same person, your Uncle Will told me you would be here." JJ smiling at him

"I am Luke." He told her

"I am JJ or Jen, this is Mariah and Emily." JJ told him

"It's nice to meet you." Luke told them shaking all their hands.

"Will told you Luke would be here." Kim asked

"Yes." Emily answered

"Can we go play?" Mariah asked JJ

"Give me just a moment please." JJ smiling at her

She noticed Kim at looked Mariah and could see how much she looked at Will.

"How long have you known Will?" Kim

"Since we're teenagers" JJ replied not saying to much more. She couldn't see Will with someone like her, but she still wasn't completely sure.

"How long have you been friends?" Emily asked

"We have known each other about five years, but we started seeing more of each other over the last year or two." Kim, she was hoping the two women would get the point.

"Only because you watch me" Luke told her.

JJ almost laughed out loud, Luke was just like Kirsten.

"Okay you two why don't you play right around here. Please stay where you can be seen." JJ

"If you have something to do we can watch Luke." Emily looking at Kim

"I should really wait on Will, not that I don't believe you but I don't know either of you." Kim almost trying to be rude

"Okay." JJ

JJ knew one thing for sure, if Will was involved with this women Mariah would not be around her.

"Mommy, come look." Mariah

JJ looked at Emily giving her the warning look, before walking over to Luke and Mariah.

"What did you two find?" JJ asked as she got closer to the tree

"I think it's a frog." Mariah

"Nope it's a lizard." Luke as he took a closer look

"I've never seen a lizard." Mariah

"Let me look." JJ told them as she heard another car pulled up.

"Mariah, Luke is right it's a lizard." JJ

"Can we keep it?" Mariah

"It needs to be outside." JJ

"I bet grandpa will let us keep it outback." Luke smiling at JJ

/

Will noticed that Kim was parked behind the black SUV when he pulled into the drive, at first he only seen Emily and Kim standing there. When he looked over towards where the two women were staring he noticed JJ squatted down between Luke and Mariah talking about something. Luke was smiling at JJ but Mariah had looked up when she heard the car door shut, he could only stare at her, she smiled and looked back down at JJ. Will was ready to have both of them in Luke and his life.

**Sorry this is longer chapter, I am going to try to post another one later today. Thanks for all the reviews.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Mommy, who is that?" Mariah asked

JJ turned to look Will was standing at the front of his car, she noticed Kim walking towards him.

"That is Will, Luke's uncle. I've known him for a long time." JJ

"You'll like him. Uncle Will plays games with me and tells funny jokes." Luke told Mariah

"Okay" Mariah, JJ could tell she still wasn't sure.

"We need to find out what Lizards eat." Luke

"My Uncle Spence will know he's a genius." Mariah told Luke

"Is he coming here?" Luke asked

"Is he mommy?" Mariah

"Yes, he should be here in just a little bit." JJ smiling at the two kids in front of her.

She turned just enough to see Kim standing in front of Will, JJ realized that she was jealous of the women.

"He don't really like her." Luke

"What?" JJ

"Uncle Will don't really like Kim, but she was my dad's sister so he lets her watch me." Luke told JJ

"Luke how old are you?" JJ asked

"Uncle Will and I share a birthday, I just turned ten." Luke

"I'll be ten in a month." Mariah

/

Will watched as JJ was talking to both Luke and Mariah before Kim was blocking his view.

"Hey, sorry I thought I would get out here before you did." Will

"Not a problem at all." Kim smiling at him

"I won't need you to get him tomorrow." Will trying to move enough to watch JJ and the kids.

"I thought you had a case." Kim

"We do a big one, but Luke will be staying here." Will

"Will, I don't know if it's a good idea to leave him with people he doesn't know." Kim

Will looked at Kim, the only reason she was in his life was because her brother happened to be Luke's father and he was almost positive she made it sound like more to JJ and Emily.

"Jen and Emily are FBI agents who could protect Luke better than either of us. I will be working from here if you must know, so I would prefer Luke stay out here." Will told her trying not to get annoyed.

"And just were does Luke fit into this. I am not blind." Kim a little loud

Will had moved just enough to see JJ and both kids look up from where they were and Emily had turned around.

"Lower your voice." Will warned

"Why? Afraid your girlfriend might get mad." Kim still being loud

"No you are making a scene in front of two children and two FBI agents and in about five minutes three more agents are going to be pulling up. Lower your voice." Will told her

"I want to know where Luke stands in all this." Kim asked again

JJ had walked from the kids towards Emily.

"Emily can you take both Luke and Mariah around back. They are looking for bugs to feed a lizard." JJ

"You sure." Emily, knowing she was mad

"Yes" JJ as she looked at Will.

"Okay, come on monkeys." Emily

JJ, Kim and Will watched as they walked behind the house. Will knew JJ was upset and he didn't know what Kim had told her.

"Now the two of you talk about whatever, but neither of those kids needed to hear it." JJ

"What part do you play in this?" Kim

"Jen will play any part she wants. Luke is comfortable around her and you know it. Luke has and always will play an important part in any decision I make." Will trying to stop JJ from getting in the middle.

"And the little girl, I can only assume that she's your daughter by looking at her. How do you plan on explaining that to him?" Kim

"She is Will's daughter." JJ

"I'll explain it to Luke when I need too. You don't need to worry about it." Will

"He's my nephew too." Kim

"Luke seems to think you are more worried about Will than him." JJ spat out.

"I love him and worry about him." Kim

"Luke or Will" JJ asked

"Kim you should go. Luke will be staying out here the next couple of days; I'll call and keep you updated." Will as he pulled Kim lightly towards the car.

JJ had turned and walked towards the porch. She was mad at herself for letting the women get her upset but madder because she felt she let her feelings for Will show.

/

"You know that wasn't nice." Will sitting next to her on the steps

"I couldn't help it; she had been that way since she opened the car door." JJ

"Yeah she can be annoying." Will

"I know that we haven't talked a lot about anything but I do not want Mariah around her. Hell, I don't want Luke around her." JJ

"If she wasn't Mike's sister, Luke wouldn't be." Will

"He reminds me so much of Kirsten." JJ

"Yeah, he is something else. How is Mariah doing?" Will

"She seems to be okay. Luke is helping but when she gets around new people she is a little shy to start out with so don't think much of it if she doesn't talk much at first." JJ

"I will take it at both yours and hers pace. She is beautiful Jen." Will

"Yeah, I think so. She looks so much like you, it hasn't changed since the day I had her." JJ told him

"I know Spencer said her birthday was in a month but when is it exactly." Will

"August 22nd, Luke shares your birthday and Mariah was born on your moms." JJ told him

They both heard the other cars pull up.

"We can talk more after she goes to bed." JJ standing up

"Sounds like a plan." Will

"Is my dad coming here?" JJ

"I don't think tonight he is." Will

/

Emily, Luke, and Mariah walked around when they heard the cars.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" JJ asked

"Not really." Luke

"That's because we don't know what we are looking for." Mariah

"After we eat, I'll help you look." JJ told them

"We should ask Uncle Spence first." Mariah

"You are right about that." Emily laughing

Will noticed Luke's hands were muddy then he realized Mariah's were too.

"Luke you need your hands washed, could you show Mariah where to wash her hands." Will asked

"Yeah, is she staying here?" Luke

"Yes, for at least the next couple of days. Jen, Emily and the rest of the men over there with grandpa are staying too." Will told him

"Okay." Luke smiling at Will

"Come on Mariah." Luke told her

Mariah looked up at JJ before going anywhere.

"It's okay. Please make sure you wash your hands real good." JJ

"Okay" Mariah as she ran towards Luke

"At least they get along." Emily

/

JJ, Emily, and Will joined the rest of the team and Will's dad by the SUV's.

"We won't bring any of the case stuff in until after the go to bed." Rossi

"Sounds like a plan. I explained to Mariah that I would show her the door to the backroom and had to knock and wait for someone to answer. She already knows not to get into any folders." JJ

"I'll show Luke and explain the same thing to him." Will

"Okay, then right now we relax as much as possible until the kids go to bed." Hotch

"Can we please eat now?" JJ

"You and food." Morgan

"You have not had a brownie from Moe's after you eat one you will understand." JJ

"Are you actually going to eat the brownie last?" Bill

"Yes, if I don't Ria will think she can eat hers first." JJ

"Setting a good example." Rossi laughing

JJ grabbed her bag and then went to the other SUV and got Mariah's'; the rest of the team grabbed their bags while Will helped with his dad with the food. They all walked towards the house.

/

In the house

Everyone had their food and was sitting in the living room. Mariah sat close to JJ while Luke sat by Mariah. JJ wondered if they somehow knew they were related as she watched them talk.

"What time is Garcia getting in?" Emily asked

"They should be landing in about a half an hour and then a car will bring them out here." Hotch

"Are you sure there is enough room?" Rossi asked looking at Bill

"This house has six bedrooms, plus downstairs has three other beds and the couch folds out. Yes there is plenty of room." Bill

"Mariah can stay with me." JJ told them

"We can decide everything later." Emily

"Mommy do we still get to look outside?" Mariah asked almost in a whisper.

"Yes, did you ask Spence what we're looking for?" JJ whispered back

"Not yet." Mariah

"Is something wrong?" JJ asked her

JJ knew Mariah could be shy around new people but usually when JJ was close by she wasn't this shy.

"I don't want to talk in front of everyone." Mariah whispered in JJ's ear.

"Okay are you done eating?" JJ asked

"Yes." Mariah

"We will be right back." JJ told everyone as Mariah grabbed her plate.

Will had watched the interaction between JJ and Mariah and he was curious about what was wrong, but didn't interrupt them.

/

JJ and Mariah walked into the kitchen; they both sat their plates on the table.

"Come on I know where we can talk alone." JJ told Mariah with a smile.

Mariah followed JJ out the back door and to the swing hanging from a tree in the backyard.

"Okay baby girl what's wrong." JJ asked as she sat down

"Mommy, promise you won't be mad." Mariah

"Well since I don't know what it is I can't promise that. But I promise I will listen." JJ pulling Mariah closer to her

"Earlier when you had Aunt Emily take me and Luke to the back, I came back to get Binky." Mariah started

"Who is binky?" JJ

"The lizard. Why did that woman tell Luke's uncle that I was his daughter?" Mariah

JJ stared at Mariah; she was stunned for a moment. She wanted to be honest but still didn't know how to explain it.

"And why do I look like him?" Mariah


	7. Chapter 7

JJ realized that she hadn't answered Mariah and still don't know what she was going to say.

"Mommy" Mariah waiting on JJ

"You look like Will because he is your dad." JJ taking a deep breath

"So that women was right." Mariah

"Yes, she noticed how much you looked like him." JJ

Mariah was thinking and JJ knew it by the look on her face.

"You can ask me anything." JJ told her

"How come I haven't met him until now?" Mariah

"Sometimes people make decisions for you because they think they know what is best for you. I told you that I was really young when you were born and so was Will, someone thought the best thing for us was to not tell the truth." JJ not sure she made sense

"I don't know if I understand that. Did he not love us?" Mariah

"Yes, he loves you." JJ

"Then why don't I know him." Mariah

JJ had no idea how to explain all this to her and the look on Mariah's face said she was hurt.

"Do you care if I have Will join us? Maybe we can both explain it better." JJ asked

Mariah thought about it for a minute

"That's fine." She mumbled

JJ pulled out her phone and texted Emily.

_Can you please have Will come out back? Mariah knows. JJ"_

_Okay. Em_

"Do you remember early when you called me to tell me about the horse?" JJ asked her

"Yes" Mariah

"Will didn't know that you even existed, let alone that he had a daughter until after that phone call." JJ she noticed Will walking towards them.

"What's existed?" Mariah asked, she had noticed Will too.

"That you were born." JJ

"Why not?" Mariah asked

"I would love to explain it so that you could understand completely but unfortunately I still don't completely understand all of it." JJ looking at Mariah

Will stopped just short of the swing, not sure what JJ wanted him to do.

"Have a seat, maybe you can help." JJ told him

"Mariah you okay with that." Will asked

"Sure." Mariah told him

"She overheard Kim say the she was your daughter and wanted to know why she looks like you." JJ told Will

"Oh" Will

"Mommy I still don't understand." Mariah

"Someone lied to me and said that Will didn't want to be with me or you. But they also didn't tell Will that I was having you and then I moved back to nana's house." JJ

"Did you want me and mommy?" Mariah asked looking at Will

"Yes I would have. Your mommy and I loved each other very much." Will, he had never stopped loving her.

"I would like the chance to get to know you and be a part of your life but only when you are ready." Will told Mariah

"Do you love us now?" Mariah

"Yes" Will, hoping JJ caught the us part of the question.

JJ looked up at Will surprised he answered yes so quick.

"I think she wants to know if you love her." JJ

"No mommy I mean us." Mariah upset

"Mariah" JJ

"You told Aunt Em and Aunt Pen that we were a package deal remember and when I asked you what that meant you told me that meant someone had to love both of us." Mariah told her

"You are right, but this is different. Will is your dad, not someone that your aunts want me to date." JJ

"Means the same to me." Mariah mumbled

Will started laughing making them both look at him.

"You were right she acts just like you." Will told JJ

"Mariah, yes I love you and your momma. I am sorry that you are confused or sad and I will answer any questions you have if it's okay with your momma." Will

"Are Luke and I related? What am I supposed to call you?" Mariah

"Luke is your cousin, but I would like for you not to say anything until after Will has a chance to talk to Luke." JJ told her

"Okay." Mariah

JJ looked at Will wondering if he was going to answer the other question, she noticed he was staring at her. Mariah looked at both of them.

"You can call me Will if you want." Will told her

JJ could see the hurt in his eyes; she wanted to take it away.

"Mariah, Will and I are still trying to figure everything out. I have always tried to be honest with you and right now I need you to be honest with us." JJ

"I can do that." Mariah

"Is there something that you what to call Will?" JJ asked

"Yes" Mariah

"It's okay to tell us." JJ

Mariah looked at Will and then JJ; she got up on her knees to whisper to JJ.

"What if he doesn't like it?" she whispered in her ear

"He might, he really doesn't want to see you sad." JJ whispered back.

Mariah sat back down.

"Mariah I don't want you to be afraid to tell me anything." Will

"You said you want to get to know me." Mariah

"Yes, I do." Will

"Are you going to change your mind?" Mariah

"Change my mind" Will

"Yes, what if you get to know me and don't like me are you going to change your mind." Mariah

"Why would you think that?" JJ asked before Will could answer

"Macy said that her real daddy changed his mind and didn't want her that's how Uncle Shane became her daddy." Mariah

"Can you come here for a minute?" Will asked Mariah

"Yes" Mariah as she moved closer

JJ watched them together, Will put her on his lap and then moved closer to JJ. She was a little surprised by this move.

"I am not going to change my mind. You are my daughter and I know that until now neither of us knew each other but that is going to change. You, Luke, mommy and me are going to be a family, it will be a little different but a family." Will told her

"Right now I want to call you Will but maybe later I can call you daddy." Mariah whispered

JJ had started crying trying to hide her face from both of them.

"You can call me daddy whenever you are ready." Will told her, he noticed Luke in the yard coming towards them.

"Jen you ready for the other one." Will asked

She shook her head yes as she wiped her eyes.

"Uncle Will, can we look for bugs now?" Luke

"In a minute, I need to talk to you." Will told him

/

Luke noticed that Mariah was sitting on Will's lap; since he already like both Mariah and her mom he went and sat on JJ's lap. He missed his mom and JJ reminded him of her.

"Luke, you should ask first." Will told him

"He's okay." Jen

"Is something wrong?" Luke asked

"No, but I have to tell you something important." Will

"Go for it." Luke

"Will do you want Mariah and I to go back in?" JJ

"No, this involves both of you." Will

"Luke, I found out today that Mariah is my daughter which makes her your cousin." Will told him

"I knew she was related to me." Luke smiling

"You're not upset?" Will asked

"No, I like Mariah and I like JJ." Luke

"I like you too." Jen told him

"Me too." Mariah

"You can ask questions now or when you think of one just find me, grandpa or Jen and we will try to answer them." Will

"Does this mean that I can't stay with you? I don't want to live with Aunt Kim." Luke

"You are not going anywhere." Will

"I'll tell you the same thing Will just told Mariah. You, Mariah, Will and I are going to be a family; it will be a little different but a family." JJ

"And grandpa." Luke

"Yes" JJ and Will

"Okay, Can we look for bugs now?" Luke

"Please" Mariah

"Let's find out what kind of bugs we should be looking for." JJ

"Come on Luke we can ask Uncle Spencer." Mariah as she took off running towards the house.

/

"Well, that went better than I thought it would" JJ as they walked back to the house

"You can't blame yourself." Will

"I do. I was coming back after I turned eighteen and graduated. But then I thought about you being in college and I got a scholarship and I was scared. I should have told you." Jen

"We can't live in the past. It sucks that all this happened the way it did but we need to move forward." Will told her

"I didn't stop loving you." JJ whispered

"Me either. We still need to talk about how this going to work." Will

"I need a little time; after they get settled down we can talk." JJ

/

They both walked into the living room and noticed the look on everyone's face including her mom and Garcia.

"What happened?" JJ, looking around for both kids

"We have another body and Shane discovered another one." Morgan told her

"They are in Luke's room." Bill

"What else?" JJ knowing she was missing something

"They both had messages with them." Rossi told her

"What did they say?" Will

"Reid, Emily and I are going with your dad to the scene here. Morgan and Rossi are going to stay here with you and JJ. Shane will be sending the pictures of the scene to Garcia. Keep both kids in the house." Hotch

"What the hell is going on?" JJ

"I'll explain. Call Tom and see if he wants to go, he knew the case well." Rossi

"He needs to come here and to help with both cases." Sandy mumbled

JJ, Will and Rossi looked at her.

"I'll go check on the kids." She told them

"The message here said "You brought her back." Rossi told them.

"The message in PA said "We know where she is." Morgan

JJ felt her legs go numb and everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

Will grabbed ahold of her as soon as he realized she had fainted, making sure she didn't hit the ground.

"Jen" Will shouted

Morgan turned back around, Dave grabbed ahold of her helping Will and Sandy and both kids came out from the bedroom.

"Mommy" Mariah cried out

Will put JJ on the couch.

"Mariah stay there." Will told her

Sandy came over, shaking JJ's shoulders.

"Morgan, go to the kitchen and get me some wet towels. Dave, go get my bag. Will" Sandy stopped realizing he wasn't standing there.

She turned to see that he was trying to comfort Mariah, who was now crying.

"Do you need me to get something?" Will asked

"No, take care of Mariah." Sandy

Morgan brought the wet paper towels and handed them to Sandy, she wiped JJ's face off. JJ started coming around, not sure of what happened.

"Mom, what happened?" JJ trying to get up

"Stay laying down you fainted." Sandy

"Where's Mariah? The message." JJ panicking

"Will has Mariah, she is fine. Jen you need to breath." Sandy

JJ took a couple of deep breaths trying to control her breathing.

/

Luke's room

"What's wrong with mommy?" Mariah asked Will

"She's a little worried and needed to lay down." Will

"Is Jen really okay?" Luke asked

"Yes, she will be. Her mom is taking care of her." Will

Mariah was still crying, Will pulled her into his arms but when he notice Luke looked upset be pulled him in too.

"Jen is one of the strongest people I know she will be okay." Will told them

"Do you promise? Mommy always promises when she's telling me the truth." Mariah told him

"Yes, Mariah I promise." Will

/

"I want to see Mariah." JJ as she sat up

"I'll go get them." Morgan

"You have to stay calm, it scares her." Sandy

"I know, I will." JJ

"JJ tonight you and Will take care of Mariah and Luke. Forget about the cases and only be with your family." Rossi

"We need to find this guy, she's still in danger." JJ

"We will find them but you are in danger too. Please do what I asked." Rossi

"Okay." JJ

"Mommy" Mariah came running down the hall

"Hey baby, I am sorry if I scared you." JJ

"You did and Luke too." Mariah

"I am sorry. Luke, I didn't mean to scare you either." JJ smiling at both of them.

"It's okay." Luke

"Will I just told JJ that tonight the two of you are off both cases so that the kids can be focused on." Rossi

"Okay. Why don't we take them down stairs?" Will

"Isn't there only three beds down there." Morgan

"Yes, two full and one queen. If we need more beds Luke can sleep with me." Will

"Mariah can sleep with me." JJ

"We can let you know." Sandy

"Where are you going?" JJ

"To the bed you would've slept in. I am tired it's been a long day." Sandy

"Let me get my bags. Mariah stay with Will." JJ standing up

/

The spare bedroom

"Mom, what's wrong?" JJ as she followed Sandy into the spare room.

"Seriously Jennifer, you just scared the hell out of me. I knew that your job could be dangerous but whoever these people are have you and Mariah in their sights. I am asking Dave to call your dad again, he may have not made the right decisions but I know that he loves you and is another person to keep you safe." Sandy

"Do you feel better?" JJ asked

"A little, if I remember right there is no windows in the basement. I want to lock you both down there." Sandy

"I get it. I am scared." JJ admitted

"Jen please let everyone keep you safe. I know you and you are only worried about Mariah. I am worried about both of you." Sandy

"Mom, I promise I will. Not to completely change but do you have the journal and letters." JJ

"Yes, here you go. Will was really good at comforting her." Sandy

"She is afraid he'll change his mind about being her dad. Macy told her that her real daddy changed his mind and now she's worried about Will changing his." JJ told her

"I didn't know Macy told her that. How confused is Mariah?" Sandy

"Honestly, I am not sure. She asked a couple of questions and then didn't say much else." JJ as she grabbed her and Mariah's bags.

"Go do what you were told. Luke seems to be a big part in this too." Sandy

"He is. Luke is afraid that he will have to go live with Mike's sister. Emily and I met her earlier; I wouldn't let that happen to anyone." JJ

"I am right here if you need me." Sandy

"Thank you mom" JJ as she hugged her.

/

Downstairs

JJ went down the stairs to the basement; she knew that neither Mariah nor Luke was asleep. When she reached the bottom step she saw the kids were playing a game and Will was deep in thought sitting on the small couch.

"You want to share." JJ asked sitting next to him.

"Just thinking" Will as he put his hand in hers

"Will talk, I know something is on your mind." JJ, staring at their hands

Before he answered he looked at Mariah and Luke.

"Let's talk over there." He jester towards the bed

"Okay." JJ smiling at both kids when they looked up

"We are right over here." Will told them

They both shock their heads and went back to their game. JJ and Will sat on the bed, he grabbed her hand again.

"What's wrong?" JJ

"I was thinking about the cases and I want these people caught but I can't help to think what happens after that." Will

"I guess we have to talk about." JJ

"You act like you don't want too." Will

"It's not that I don't, I know we need too." JJ started she took a deep breath before explaining more "It's just that as soon as I walked into this house I felt safe like nothing could hurt Mariah or me. When we were outside it was the way it should be, the way I have always wanted it to be. When we start talking about want happens after I realize that means Mariah and I will go back to Virginia without you and that hurts to think about."

"I know. I haven't known about her for more than eight hours and I don't want either of you to go back. But, there are two kids involved and we have to think about wants best for them too." Will

"I meant what I said to Luke, he is a part of this family. Whatever decision we make includes him too." JJ

"Thank you" Will

"Don't thank me. Tell me what you would like to happen." JJ

"Jen, that's tricky." Will

"I'll make you a deal." JJ

"What's that?" Will

"When we are sitting here on this bed, we tell each other the truth no matter what, as long as the kids are not in ear shot." JJ

"We don't hold it against each other later." Will

"Okay. Tell me." JJ

"I want the two of you to stay." Will

"Will, are you mad at me about all this." JJ

"I am not mad, more hurt and sad. We were both young Jen, do I wish you would have come back yes. I have never stopped loving you that's why it was so easy to answer her question early. I wish I would have been there to watch her grow up." Will

"I am sorry." JJ

"I don't want you to blame yourself; you explained why you didn't fight with your dad." Will

"I couldn't do that to you." JJ

"I know. What do you want to happen?" Will

"For us to be together, I still love you." JJ tears in her eyes

"Jen, we have a lot to work out." Will

"Mommy, I am tired." Mariah

"Okay, let's your night clothes on you" JJ as she went to get them out of her bag.

JJ remembered she needed to take her medicine.

"Will could you get Mariah a glass of water, she needs to take some medicine." JJ asked

"Yeah Cher, that won't be a problem. I'll be right back." Will as he went back upstairs.

/

Living room

"We need to catch this guy." Morgan now mad

"I want to go over the original cases. I called Tom he is on his way here." Rossi

"So we start from the beginning." Morgan, noticing Will walking into the room

"Yes, I want to go over every shred of evidence." Rossi

"Do you think Jen is just as much as Mariah?" Will asked

"Yes, I want to know why they are targets." Rossi

"How are they doing?" Garcia asked

"Mariah is tired. Jen says she needs some water for medicine and I don't know if Jen will sleep until this guy is caught." Will

"She has to stay calm and level headed or she'll do something crazy. She trusts you and we trust you to keep her level headed and calm." Rossi

"I will do everything I can to make sure both of the stay safe." Will

They heard the knock on the door and Rossi let Tom in.

"I'm going back down. Let me know if you need anything." Will as he walked out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Sandy stopped Will before he made it to the basement door.

"Will, Mariah is going to need this to sleep." Sandy as she handed him the bear.

"Thanks. Jen doesn't realize it yet." Will

"I asked for Tom to be called not because I agree with what he did but because I know that he does love Jen and Mariah he's another person to protect them." Sandy

"I get it. I just don't want to see him right now." Will

"I am sorry; I wish I would have stood up to him. She blames herself and shouldn't." Sandy

"It's not your fault either, I don't know if I even blame him. I know that I want to get to know my daughter and reconnect with Jen." Will

"Good. Go be with them." Sandy

/

Downstairs

Will was surprise when he seen Mariah and Luke in bed with JJ.

"Sorry it took so long. Your mom said she needed this." Will handing her the bear

"Thanks. Mariah let's take your medicine." JJ

"What's the medicine for?" Will asked

"She had the flu, it's almost done with." JJ as she poured the medicine

Mariah took the drink following it with the glass of water.

"Mommy, will you ask?" Mariah whispered

"I told you that you had too." JJ

Mariah turned to look at Will.

"What's wrong princess?" Will asked

"Luke and I want to sleep with mommy. Is it okay if Luke sleeps with me and mommy?" Mariah

"Yes, if your momma is okay with it." Will

"Can you sleep with us too?" Mariah asked

Will looked at JJ before answering, she nodded

"Yeah, we can put you and Luke in the middle. I need to change." Will as he got up

"The two of you get comfortable." JJ told them as she handed Mariah her bear

"Can we hear a story?" Luke asked

"What kind of story do you want to hear?" JJ asked

"Uncle Will usually tells me a story about dragons but sometimes he tells me stories about my mom." Luke told her

"Where's your mom?" Mariah

"Mariah" JJ

"She's in heaven with my grandma, well I guess our grandma." Luke

"Oh, I am sorry" Mariah

"It's okay you didn't know." Luke

Will had came out of the bathroom and stood at the doorway listening to the three of them talk.

"So what kind of story." JJ asked

"You knew my mommy and grandma right?" Luke asked

"Yes." JJ

"Can you tell us a story about them?" Luke

"Please mommy." Mariah

"Okay get up here and lay down." JJ, hoping Will wouldn't be upset when he came back in.

"Luke's mommy is Kirsten and your grandma's name was Sophie." JJ more for Mariah than Luke

"Why don't you ask questions about them and Jen and I can answer them?" Will as he came back into the room

"Are you really okay with that?" JJ asked him

"Yeah, I don't mind talking about them and I know you have some good stories." Will

"I do, some you probably don't even know." JJ smiling

"Tell us one that Will doesn't know." Mariah

"Your grandma Sophie was one of the best women I have ever met." JJ started as Will sat down.

"One day I came here to see Will, Kirsten was away at school. Will and his dad had went to the store because Sophie was sick. We sat on the swing on the front porch and she told me that I would, we would have a daughter one day." JJ stopped looking at Will

"She wanted me to make sure that her grandchildren would know who she was and she's the reason your name is Mariah." JJ looking down at Mariah

"Why?" Will asked

"She told me that she wanted a granddaughter named Mariah and I never picked out another name not even a boy's name." JJ

"Neither of you told me that." Will

"It was one of the moments just between us and I didn't think it would until about now. I think I even told her it won't happen for a long time." JJ shaking her head

"What else did she tell you?" Luke asked half asleep

"Your grandma told me lots of things. But once your mom and I had gotten in trouble and we were both afraid of what are dads were going to say. She told us that no matter what as parents you always love your children even when your children acts up you still love them." JJ

"I think they are both out." Will

"Probably a good thing, I was ready to cry." JJ admitted

"Are you tired?" Will asked

"No" JJ getting up to move to the other bed.

"You know I don't have to sleep in the bed." Will

"Yes you do. Mariah is worried enough that you will change your mind about being her dad so I am asking that if you tell her you will do something that you do it." JJ

"Okay, I don't want you to be uncomfortable." Will

"What did you find out by the case?" JJ

"Rossi and Morgan are extremely protective of you and Mariah. They are going over all the evidence even from the original case, your dad came over." Will

"Morgan is like having another brother, once I like and Rossi has filled in the dad role for me. Mariah calls him Grandpa Dave; I guess someone should tell both our dads." JJ

"I don't really want to talk about the case." Will

"Okay" JJ

Neither of them said anything, JJ wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about it and didn't want to be the one to bring up the subject. She watched as Will put his hand in hers.

"What were you going to do if she was a boy?" Will finally asked

"She would have been named after her dad, I think. I had my mom bring the journal I wrote in while I was pregnant." JJ

"Why?" Will asked

"At first I thought it would help with Mariah when she had questions. But now I think you should read it." JJ

Will stared at her.

"Earlier we said we would be honest with each other when we sat on this bed. I know that you said you weren't mad at me but a part of me thinks that you are." JJ

"I am not mad at you. I am upset by the situation." Will

"Then tell me that, don't just tell me what you think I want or need to hear. Will, I came back today after ten years and flipped your whole life around. I haven't even asked if you were seeing anyone or if you really wanted kids before this all happened. Maybe I should take Mariah and leave at least until this guy is caught." JJ

"So you want to run again?" Will

"I didn't run." JJ

"You want to run now because you don't want to talk." Will

"I don't run." JJ a little loud

She watched as Mariah tossed a little.

"Exactly so why are you so willing to do it now." Will

"I am scared." She whispered

"Jen its okay to be scared." Will, moving closer to her

"No, it's not. I am truly afraid for Mariah but that's not what I am scared of." JJ

"Okay, so tell me then." Will

"Answer my questions first, please." JJ

"Yes, I have always wanted kids. At the station you had it right I already love her. No, I am not seeing anyone. I don't think I have dated anyone for more than a couple of months." Will looking at her

"I am scared of us. I told you that I didn't believe my dad and now I know that you wrote me, but I wanted you to come get me. I wanted you to come tell me that you loved me and her that you wanted us." JJ

"And that didn't happen." Will

"No it didn't but I am not blaming you for that. I just want you to understand why I am afraid of this. Please read the journal." JJ

"If you read the letters." Will

"Okay, I need to ask a favor." JJ

"Ask away." Will

"Can we lay in the bed with the kids and you hold me? I think all of today is starting to hit me." JJ crying.

"Come on. I made you a promise to keep you safe and I am going to keep you and those two kids safe." Will as he pulled her up

"They can't wake up to me being your arms." JJ as she laid down

"I'll be on the other side when they get up." Will wrapping her up in his arms.

/

Living room

"This son of a bitch has left messages at every scene, we just didn't notice them." Rossi

"Rossi we are going to find him. JJ and Riah are going to be fine." Morgan

"The rest of them are heading back. I just spoke with Emily and Shane is sending over more photos." Garcia

Tom was quiet he was looking over the photos again, his daughter or granddaughter would not be hurt by this guy. He owed them both that much and he knew he didn't have much time left.


	10. Chapter 10

JJ laid in Will's arms, but still couldn't sleep she was worried about Mariah and what the team was finding out about the cases. Will knew she wasn't asleep and the longer she laid there the more she would worry.

"Jen, I didn't ask are you seeing anyone?" Will

"No between Mariah and my job there isn't a lot of time for dating. Why?" JJ asked

"Earlier when we were talking with Mariah she said something about the two of you being a package deal." Will

"Emily and Garcia thought it would be a good idea to try and set me up with some guy, that were she heard that." JJ

"So has Mariah met any of the guys you've dated?" Will

"The last serious relationship I was in gave me Mariah, so no she hasn't met any of the guys I have been out with. Hell I don't think most of them even knew I had a child." JJ

Will was quiet he wasn't sure if he was happy or sad that she hadn't found anyone to be with.

"Maybe you and Luke could come to Virginia for after this, we could take turns flying back and forth when our schedules allow it." JJ

"You want to fly here and then me fly there. What about when you have cases?" Will

"Yes, at least until Mariah gets used to being around you. I don't travel a lot when I have her, one of the main reasons I came on this case was because she was at my moms. If I can deal with the media from the office then I do." JJ told him

When he was still quiet, she took it as a bad sign

"Will if you have a better idea I am all ears." JJ

"I want to do what is best for her, since I don't know her well enough yet, your idea is fine." Will

"I asked you to not say what you think I want to hear but the truth." JJ

"I don't like it. I don't want to be separated from her again, I want to get to know her and be with there for her." Will

JJ took a deep breath

"Then what do we do because we both of jobs that we love and you have Luke. What do you want to know about her that I can tell you?" JJ

"I wish I knew the first part of that. Everything you can tell me." Will

"Her favorite color is purple or it was last week, she loves to read, she will only eat cereal if there is no milk on it. If she doesn't have that bear she will wake up several times a night." JJ

"Jen, I want to know everything. When did you feel her move for the first, when she took her first steps, her first words?" Will

"Let me up for a minute." JJ as she climbed out of the bed

She walked over to her bag, pulling out the journal and then went back to the bed.

"I know I agreed to read the letters and I will but you asked about my pregnancy and this is the best way for you to find out about it. She was ten months when she took her first steps but realized she could get around quicker by crawling and her first word was da." JJ as she handed Will the journal.

He smiled when JJ said her first words had been da.

"I wasn't happy about that." JJ laughing

"I don't want to wake them up by turning on the light." Will

"Oh, you could read it tomorrow." JJ

"I want to read it tonight." Will as he pulled her up

"What are you doing?" JJ

"This feels right you being in my arms. I know you're safe that way and really here." Will as they walked to the other bed.

Sitting down he opened the journal.

/

_February 4, 2002_

_I found out last week that I was having you and a lot has changed in that week, but I guess my whole life is about to change. Let me start from the beginning so that you are not completely confused._

_My name is Jennifer Marie Jareau and I am your mom, I am sixteen and living back in PA. Your dad is William LaMontagne Jr and he is eighteen and lives in New Orleans. I lived there until last week, when my dad decided I need to move back here._

_I want you to know that your daddy and I love each other, no matter want you hear as you get older. We really do love each other and you are proof of that love. He won't be here but my plan is for us to go back to New Orleans when I turn eighteen and graduated high school. _

_I believe that you are a girl so I have already started calling you Mariah. I am going to try to write at least every other day, but I promise it will be at least once a week. Right now I don't really feel pregnant well except for the morning sickness, which to be honest happens all the time never in the morning. I go to the doctor next week, I hope I have more to tell you._

_I love you already Mariah and I hope that I am a good mom to you._

_February 10, 2002_

_So, it's your mom again and I just got home from my first doctor's appointment. I have to say that it was awkward. Today was a good day but also a sad day for me._

_Let's start with the good; I heard your heart beat today. It was the best sound in the world and I don't think that I will ever forget. The doctor said it was a strong heartbeat and you were healthy, but I need to gain more weight so that you stay healthy. I promise you that I will._

_Now the sad part, I want your daddy to be here with me. I know that he would have been happy today and fell in love with you, I did. You are not going to completely understand everything that I am writing but Will wants to be a cop and I can't be the reason that he isn't so we have to stay away but you will know him one day._

_Okay, I am going to go mainly because I am crying. I love you Mariah._

_/_

Will looked up at her, she was crying.

"Jen, I don't know what to say." Will

"You don't have to say anything; I just wanted you to know." JJ

Will surprised them both by leaning it to kiss her but before their lips met. Mariah cried out for her.

"Mommy" Mariah

"Hey baby I am right here." JJ walking over to the bed

"Shh, don't wake up Luke." JJ

"Mommy, I had a bad dream." Mariah whispered

"It's okay; I will be with you all night." JJ

"Where's Will? Did he change his mind?" Mariah crying

"I am right here and No, I didn't" Will as he sat down next to Jen

"Please stay here with me." Mariah

JJ wasn't sure who she was talking to.

"We both are going to be here for you." JJ

"What about me?" Luke

"You too." JJ told him

"Let's figure out how we are going to sleep." Will

"I want next to mommy." Mariah

"Me too. I want to lay next to Jen." Mariah

"Okay. Let me get in the middle." JJ she got in the middle of the bed

"Luke lay on one side and Riah lay on the other. Will I'm not sure where you want to be." JJ

"Well, here is my thought. We put both of them in the middle and then we wrap our arms around both of them." Will smiling

"That sounds like a plan." JJ smiling

Will picked up Mariah and laid down with her close to him while Luke laid close to JJ. She smiled when she felt Wills hands pulling her and Luke closer to him and Mariah and when he left his hands on her waist.

"Good night." JJ

**Please let me know what you think of the Journal entries and if you would like to see more of them plus the letters. R&R**


	11. Chapter 11

Living room - night

Emily, Hotch, Spencer, and Bill walked back into the house, all tired and aggravated.

"Did Shane send the photos?" Hotch asked

"Yes and I have him looking for the pictures from the case before." Rossi told him

"Where is JJ?" Emily

"I told her and Will to take the kids downstairs that neither of them were working tonight." Rossi he noticed Hotch's expression

"She fainted when we told her about the messages. We all know JJ well enough to know she will do anything to protect Mariah and I wanted her to stay level headed." Rossi explained more

"Will won't let anything happen to her." Bill told the team

"He's right and Will has been able to keep Jen level headed on more than one occasion." Tom told them

They were all a little shocked that Tom had agreed with Bill.

"Did you find more messages?" Spencer asked

"Yes, they have left messages at almost all the scenes. JJ is just as much of a target as Mariah." Morgan

"The plan is to keep JJ off of this case; I will talk to Strauss in the morning to let her know what is going on. You should all be prepared for her to suggest that JJ and Mariah go into hiding." Hotch

"They are both safe in this house." Bill

"She isn't going to look at it that way. Strauss is a very by the book and she is only going to see that it could affect the way we do our jobs." Hotch trying to explain more

"It doesn't help that we are always on her bad side." Spencer

"JJ isn't going to run." Emily

"Or like to be told what to do." Morgan

"Let's see what Strauss says then we will talk to JJ." Rossi

"I agree. We all need to get some sleep and look at the cases with fresh eyes in the morning." Hotch

"Everyone pick a room." Bill

/

The next morning

JJ felt the nudge to her arm, she knew that Mariah was up and now wanted JJ up.

"Mommy, we are hungry." Mariah whispered

"We" JJ asked

"Yes, Luke and me are hungry." Mariah

"Okay, I am getting up." JJ sighed

She looked over at Will, he was finally asleep she knew that he had been awake most of the night.

"Jen, Grandpa is up we can go up." Luke

"I want the two of you to wait please. Luke did Will talk to you about why we were all here?" JJ asked

"He said you were trying to catch a bad guy with him and grandpa." Luke told her

"We are. I am going to ask you for a big favor." JJ

"Okay" Luke

"Sometimes when we are working someone will leave a folder out on the table. Please do not open them or hide them, they have important information in them." JJ told him

"Okay, I won't." Luke

"Thank you; let's go upstairs quietly I don't know who is still sleeping." JJ

JJ, Luke and Mariah went upstairs leaving Will to sleep.

/

Living room

JJ was surprised to see her mom and dad sitting in the living room with Bill and Rossi.

"Look who is up." Bill seeing them walking down the hall

"Good morning." JJ still a little confused

Luke ran over to Bill, while Mariah who noticed Tom and didn't really get to know Bill stayed by JJ.

"Grandpa Mariah and I are hungry." Luke told Bill

"You two are. What would you like to eat?" Bill asked

"Yes, did you know you are her grandpa too?" Luke asked

"Yes, I did and I am glad it wasn't supposed to be a surprise." Bill laughing

Mariah looked at JJ, trying to figure everything out.

"I was getting ready to make pancakes, cheesy grits and biscuits and gravy. Mariah is there anything else you would like." Bill asked

"No thank you." Mariah answered

"A polite child I don't know what to do." Bill laughed

"Can we help?" Luke

"If Mariah wants to and it's okay with Jen." Bill

"As long as she is in the house." Jen

"Come on Mariah." Luke

Mariah went in the kitchen with Bill and Luke.

/

"How much sleep did you get?" Sandy asked

"More than Will did." JJ as she sat down next to her

"We can keep an eye on her if you want to go get more sleep." Rossi told her

"We need to work." JJ looking at him

"Not until everyone is up." Tom told her

"I am going to go talk to Hotch." Rossi getting up

JJ watched him walk out of the room.

"What's going on?" JJ asked

"She has gotten big." Tom trying to change the subject

"Yeah, I guess you haven't seen her in a while. I don't know if anyone said anything and I need to tell Bill but she calls Rossi Grandpa Dave. Hotch's son started saying it and Mariah started soon after." JJ explained

"Jen it's okay. Dave is a good guy and seems to care about both of you and it's not like she knows who I am or who Bill is. I know that both of those things are my fault." Tom

"Dad I am upset that you lied to me and Will but I am done blaming everyone. That said it doesn't mean that I am completely willing to forgive you yet either." JJ

"Thank you for at least talking to me about it." Tom

"So, what is the plan for today?" Sandy asked

"I need to talk to the team first." JJ

"You should spend the day with Mariah, Will and Luke." Sandy

"Mom, I still have a job and so does Will." JJ

/

Thirty minutes later

Everyone was up and making plates of food.

"Mommy, Do I like grits?" Mariah asked

"I don't think you have had them, I'll put some on your plate so you can try them." JJ told her

"Okay" Mariah

"Jen, I have a place for her at the dining room table." Will

"Okay." JJ told him

JJ sat the Mariah at the table with Luke, knowing the team must want to talk about the case.

"Let me know when you are done or want more." JJ told both kids.

"Okay" Mariah

JJ walked into the living room where everyone was waiting.

"What's going on?" JJ asked

"After the bodies last night and the messages, we realized that you are just as much as target. None of us want you on this case." Hotch told her

JJ sat there not saying a word, she was waiting for the rest and they all knew it.

"I spoke with Strauss this morning and she believes that the best thing to keep you and Mariah safe is to have the two of you go into a safe house until we catch this guy." Hotch

"I am not uprooting her again and I am not running away." JJ

"It will keep both of you safe." Tom

"We are in a house full of FBI agents and cops how much safer can that get." JJ

"JJ it's a big decision and none of us are saying that you need to make it right now. But it isn't a bad idea." Rossi

Morgan, Reid, Emily, and Garcia all knew to let Hotch and Rossi fight this battle.

"Do I really get a choice or has Strauss already made the decision?" JJ asked

"You get it and we will all respect the choice you make." Hotch

"Mom what do you think?" JJ looking at Sandy

"I told you last night, if I had my way both of you would be locked in the basement. But I think you and Will need to talk about it." Sandy, knowing JJ was getting used to having him to have him to talk too.

JJ looked at Will; she was just as lost as she was yesterday when this started.

"I think we are both a little lost." Will admitted

"The two of you need to talk about what you want to do before anyone else can help." Bill

"Before you do, I explained everything that was going on here. Strauss agreed that if you decide to leave then Luke and Will can go to the safe house too." Hotch

"She agreed." JJ

"Yes, she did." Hotch

"How long did Rossi talk to her?" JJ

"Not very long" Rossi smiling

"Mariah is eating. Can someone watch her?" JJ asked

"Of course" Sandy, Bill, and Tom

JJ shook her head "Let's go talk."

"Okay" Will

They both headed to the basement to talk.

**Please review and give any suggestions**


	12. Chapter 12

Basement

JJ sat on the couch, not the bed she knew she wouldn't need it to be honest with him. Will sat down next to her without the kids they we're both free to talk.

"You should take Mariah to the safe house." Will started

"Are you and Luke coming?" JJ asked

"I can't just take Luke away, Mike's family has rights." Will

"You don't want to go." JJ

"Jen, I didn't say that." Will

"Then what because the only other thing I can think of is that you don't want us here." JJ had believed he didn't want them for years now, so it has easy for her to think it now.

"I want you safe, both of you." Will

"I'll take Mariah and leave. You can forget that either of us was here." JJ getting up

"I am not forgetting either of you. I want to keep our daughter and you safe." Will as he grabbed her hand

She jerked her hand away "Don't and stop pretending."

"Pretending what?" Will

"That I wasn't stupid for bringing her here or that you want to be her father and with us, but don't worry I'll take care of everything." JJ

"You can doubt a lot of things, but me wanting to be Mariah's father is not one of them." Will was now mad

"Will you want us to leave without you, what the hell am I supposed to think because the other thought that came to mind is that you want to be with Kim." JJ

Will took a deep breath before answering her.

"Jen, please sit back down so that we can talk." Will

"Fine" JJ as she sat back down

"First, I have no idea what it is you want me to say. Second, I only want to what is best for the two of you. Third, I am not nor have I ever been interest or with Kim." Will told her

"I want you to tell me what you want and how you feel." JJ

"Mariah to be safe, to catch this guy and you to be with me but if the two of you are here then neither of you is safe. I told you that I would protect you both I can't do that with you here." Will

"I am more worried about how Mariah is going to react if we leave and you are not with us. If I was taking her home I could handle it better but I am not taking her home." JJ

"Luke is getting attached to both of you; it's going to be hard on both of them." Will

"Then we stay and figure out the best way for all us to be safe. We need a plan before we go back upstairs" JJ

"No we go, all four of us." Will

"What about Luke and Mike's family?" JJ asked

"Luke is going to want to go and I'll figure out Mike's family." Will

"I might be able to help with that. Are you sure?" JJ

"Yes, I need to do one thing first." Will

"Okay" JJ

Will leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. When he pulled away to soon she looked at him before kissing him again, Will pulled her onto his lap.

"Mommy" Mariah yelled

"She has great timing doesn't she?" Will as he pulled away

"Yeah and she can't see us like this." JJ climbing off his lap

"I want to finish this." Will

"We are going to the safe house." JJ smiling at him

"Yes, we are." Will

"Okay, we need to tell them." JJ walking towards the stairs

"Jen" Will stopping her

"Yeah" JJ turning around

"I told you I never stopped loving you and that was the truth, if me kissing you was not what you wanted then I get it." Will

"If I didn't want you to kiss me then I wouldn't have kissed you back. I don't want Mariah or Luke to see us together like that because I don't want them to get their hopes up or misunderstand." JJ

"I get it and I do understand." Will

"And I really don't want to explain to everyone in the living room. Come on." JJ walking up the stairs.

/

Living room

"Mariah Grace, Do not yeah for your mom again." Sandy

Sandy noticed Mariah whispering to Luke.

"And do not get Luke in trouble." Sandy

"Nana mommy said to find her." Mariah tried to reason

"I told you to wait for her to come back upstairs." Sandy

"When is she coming back?" Mariah asked with an attitude

"I am not sure but sit down and wait or you can stand in the corner." Sandy

Mariah sat down pouting.

"That face does not work on me your mother tried it for years." Sandy

"She really does look like Jen at that age." Tom commented

"And just as hard headed." Sandy

"How do you know what my mommy looked like?" Mariah asked Tom

Before he could answer, JJ and Will walked in.

"Mariah, apologize to nana and everyone else for having an attitude." JJ

"But you said to come get you." Mariah

"Now I said to apologize." JJ warned

"I am sorry for having an attitude." Mariah

"Thank you" Sandy

"How does he know what you looked like?" Mariah asked JJ

"He is my dad, your grandpa we haven't seen each other since you were about five." JJ answered

It was to much for Mariah, JJ could see it in her face, she was going to melt down.

"Mariah, if you give me a couple of minutes we will go talk." JJ

"I am a related to anyone else." She mumbled as she walked down the hall

"Where is." JJ started

"Luke's room." Sandy finished

"Jen, I am sorry I shouldn't have said anything." Tom

"It's okay. She needed to know." JJ

"We are going to the safe house." Will told them

"You was until, they announced that there is storm coming. We will be on lock down." Bill announced

"Lockdown" Emily

"Yes, windows boarded up and go to the store. We need to prepare." Bill

"I need to talk to Mariah." JJ

"Go we can get everything started." Bill

"Thanks" JJ has she started down the hall

"JJ wait a minute." Rossi

/

"Something wrong?" JJ turning back around.

"There is a lot wrong right now." Rossi

"Is something new wrong?" JJ

"No, but you are not to leave this house." Hotch

"Wow, I just felt thirteen again." JJ

"Try twelve." Tom

"It's the only way to keep both of you completely safe, if you or Mariah go outside then at least two of us are with you." Rossi explained

"And you are not included as one of the two." Morgan

"Okay, I get." JJ

"No fight." Emily

"Not right now I need to talk to Mariah." JJ

/

Luke's room

"Mariah what's wrong?" Luke asked

"I just met someone else I didn't know I was related to." She replied

"Who?" Luke

"My mommy's dad, I just met you and now him too." Mariah

"It's okay. I didn't know my Aunt Kim until after my mommy and daddy died." Luke

"But she doesn't seem to be very nice." Mariah

"She's okay; more interested in Uncle Will then me." Luke

"I still don't know him or your grandpa." Mariah

"I will help you get to know them." Luke

"Thank you." Mariah looking around the room

"Did you hear that?" Luke asked

"Yeah, it sounds like someone is knocking." Mariah

Both kids sat quiet for a minute before they heard it again.

"Should we look?" Mariah

"We can't open the curtains but I have my spy kit." Luke going to the closet

Before he could get to the closet there was a loud bang on the window scaring both of them.

"Mommy" Mariah screamed

/

They all heard her scream and took off down the hall.

"What happened?" JJ reaching the room first

"Something is banging one the window real loud." Mariah crying

"I peeked someone was there." Luke

"Are you sure?" Will asked

"Yes" Luke

JJ looked up at the whole team.

"You both are okay and we are all here. But let's go out to the living room." JJ told the kids.

"The basement would be safer." Sandy

"Can you take them down I will be down in just a minute?" JJ

"Yes, Luke and Mariah come with me." Sandy

JJ watched them go down stairs.

"They came here." JJ almost stunned

"Morgan, Reid and Prentiss, the three of you outside looking around." Hotch

"Is there anyway else into the house besides the two doors?" Rossi

"The attic but that would require a lot." Bill

"Where is it? We will check it and then lock the door." Rossi

"Will take JJ and Garcia downstairs and stay with them." Hotch

"Maybe they should all go into the sun room." Will looking at Bill

"That would be best until we finish search." Bill

"The what?" JJ

"Come on. I'll show the two of you." Will as he took the two women down stairs.

**Please review and tell me what you think.**


	13. Chapter 13

Will followed JJ and Garcia down the stairs.

"What's the sun room?" Garcia asked

"It's an old bomb shelter that my dad had redone after Katrina, now it's pretty much everything proof and once the door is shut the only way in or out is with the code from the inside." Will explained

"Are we going in?" Garcia

"Yes, I should have put Jen and Mariah in there last night." Will

JJ was still in a daze when the hit the last step, Mariah came running to her.

"Mommy, I am scared." Mariah

When JJ didn't answer, Will stepped in.

"Princess, Luke and you are safe now." Will told her

"What about everyone else?" Mariah

"We are going to play a game of hide-n-seek. Can you grab your bear and PJ's?" Will asked

"Yes" Mariah

"Luke you too." Will

"I am going to go grab the both your bags." Will told Sandy and Garcia

"Okay." Sandy

Will looked at JJ; she hadn't moved standing at bottom of the stairs.

"Jen, you need to get your bags and Mariah's medicine. I am not leaving either of you but she is starting to worry." Will whispered to her

"Okay, I'll get it together." JJ, grabbing his hand

"You don't have to I just need help getting her in there." Will

She nodded as he squeezed her hand.

"Five minutes." Will

/

"Her medicine is in the bathroom and her bag is by the couch." JJ said out loud.

"I have her bag. Get yours." Sandy

"Mom, I am sorry you didn't sign up for this." JJ

"I wouldn't be anyplace else. You don't have to apologize for anything." Sandy hugging JJ

"Thank you." JJ

"I have Mariah's medicine and both of the kid's stuff." Garcia

"Okay, now we are just waiting on Will." JJ

"Why was someone at my window?" Luke asked

"Someone is not playing nice and scaring the two of you is the best way to get to the adults." JJ trying to make it simple

"That wasn't very nice." Mariah

"No it wasn't and I know that we need to talk still." JJ told her

"Okay." Mariah

/

Upstairs

Hotch, Bill, Tom and Rossi were in the hallway.

"How did they know when the kids were in the bedroom?" Tom

"We are going to check the attic." Rossi

"I don't want anything else said until we check." Hotch quietly

They all shook their heads, Will came upstairs.

"Everybody settled?" Rossi asked

"Yeah, I was getting Sandy and Penelope's" Will before he was interrupted

"Lunch." Bill

Will looked at his dad.

"Yeah" Will as he looked at the other men

"We are going to watch a couple of movies." Will

"The kids may take a nap." Tom

"Maybe, I think Jen needs one. Let me know when you need help boarding up the house." Will as he grabbed the bags

"Could you have Garcia track the weather?" Hotch

"Yeah that won't be a problem. Let me get back down there." Will

"I'll let you know when we need you." Rossi

"Okay." Will

/

Will came back downstairs

"Okay, come on." Will

"Where are we going?" Luke asked

"To the sun room." Will

"The what?" Mariah

"It's a cool room, come on." Luke

"I hope it's big" Sandy

Will walked to the closet opening the door; he moved the carpet on the floor to the next door.

"Who's going down first?" Will

"I will." JJ told them

"Climb straight down, the kids are next." Will as he handed her a light

"Okay" JJ as she climbed down the ladder.

It was only about ten steps before she hit the floor.

"Will, I am down." JJ

"Luke is coming." Will

JJ grabbed Luke on when he was on the fifth step and then repeated the action with Mariah. Will sent Sandy and Garcia down next, before going down he closed the closet door and straightened the carpet.

"In here" Will opening the next door.

Will opened the door, when everyone was in he shut it and locked them in.

"This is big." Sandy

"Yeah, he wanted to make sure it was good size. Garcia you can get on anything you need down here." Will

"Okay, thanks." Garcia

"Mariah wanna play cards." Luke asked

"Yeah" Mariah following him to the small table

"Does anyone else want to play?" Luke asked

"I will play." Sandy

JJ sat on one of the beds, watching the kids and her mom. Will sat down next to her.

"She is safe in here, so are you." He whispered

"What if they would have opened the curtain?" JJ asked

"They didn't." Will

"Luke could've been hurt too." JJ

"They are both fine. Our dads and your team is upstairs looking for these people." Will

"We should be up there." JJ

"We are where we should be with the kids." Will

"I feel like I don't have control and I hate this feeling." JJ

"They are going to send Garcia messages and keep us informed." Will

"Thank you for trying to make me feel better." JJ

"Anything, Jen." Will as Mariah walked over to them

/

"Mommy" Mariah

"Hey baby girl." JJ smiled

"Are you okay?" Mariah

"I am fine; I was worried about the two of you." JJ

"Can we talk now?" Mariah asked

"Yeah" JJ

"Let me go check with Garcia." Will as he as getting up

"I have questions for you too." Mariah looking at Will

"Okay" Will as he sat back down

Mariah looked at both of her parents not sure what to ask first.

"You can ask either of us anything." JJ

"How come your dad is here?" Mariah

"He is helping find the bad guy." JJ

"Why haven't we seen him in a long time?" Mariah

"My dad and I don't always see things the same way. We had a disagreement and neither one of us wanted to say that we were wrong." JJ trying to explain

"Oh are you still mad at him." Mariah

"No, we agreed to disagree." JJ

"Are we going to live here now?" Mariah

"New Orleans." JJ

"Yes" Mariah

"No, I still have my job and our house is in Virginia." JJ

"When am I going to see Will, Luke, and Luke's grandpa?" Mariah

"Luke's grandpa is your grandpa too. His name is Bill if you don't want to call him grandpa." JJ

"Okay" Mariah

"We thought that you and your mom would come here every other weekend. Luke and I would come to your house on the other weekends." Will

"I don't like that." Mariah

"Okay, why not?" JJ

"Because you both said we all were going to be a family, none of my friend's families are like that." Mariah

"Mariah, no matter where we all live we are still a family. It will be different for a while." Will

"How long is a while?" Mariah

"We are not sure how long it will be." JJ

"Do I still get to see Nana?" Mariah

"Yes and maybe we can take Will and Luke there." JJ

"You haven't changed your mind?" Mariah looking at Will

"No, I promise you that I haven't changed my mind and that I am not going too." Will

"Mariah, when we go home you can call Will and Luke every day. If I have to go away work I will make sure that Will has Garcia's number and Garcia has Will's number." JJ

"Okay." Mariah

"Do you have more questions?" JJ looking her

"No not right now." Mariah

"JJ I need to steal you and Will for a minute." Garcia

"Okay. Mariah let us know if you have any more questions." JJ

"I know" Mariah walking back to the table.

/

JJ and Will walked over to the table Garcia had set up her laptop.

"What's going on?" JJ lowly

"Rossi and Detective LaMontagne searched the attic and found a bug." Garcia speaking lowly

"What?" JJ

"That's why they were speaking in code." Will

JJ looked at him

"When I went upstairs to get the bags, my dad cut me off when I said I was getting the bags." Will explaining

"No one knew that I was coming here with Mariah, I made that decision at the station." JJ

"I am going to run the number to see if we can trace it, but there could be more." Garcia

"Can you block them?" JJ asked

"No, but Morgan and Emily are going to get a scanner from the station." Garcia

"It could be a cop." Will

"The unsub" Garcia asked

"Yeah, Jen made the decision at the station." Will

"I'll send them a message and let them know what you think." Garcia as she watched JJ walk away.

"Will, she is scared. I heard Rossi tell you to keep her level headed right now would be the best time for that." Garcia whispered to him.

"I will. Let me know what they say." Will giving her a small smile.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for the confusion in the last chapter, to clarify. JJ and Will were talking about the kids when I used they, Tom was talking about the unsubs (the one from the case in New Orleans and the one from the case in PA), when Will said they were speaking in code he was talking about the men when he went upstairs to get the bags. **

**I appreciate all review as long as they are positive, that does include constructive ****criticism I am not the best at proofing my own writing and tend to jump around (I am trying to get better). Thank you to everyone. **

**/**

JJ sat on the small couch that was in the room pulling her knees up to her chest, she watched Mariah, Luke and her mom, wondering what she needed to do to get the focus of Mariah.

"Whatever your thinking it's not going to work." Will making JJ look up

"I have to find a way for the focus not to be on her." JJ whispered

"You are not putting yourself in danger, none of us will agree with that." Will sitting next to her.

"I am not going to let Mariah or Luke be in anymore danger." JJ

"We are going to protect them. It's not just you anymore, I am here, please don't shut me out when it comes to her safety or yours." Will

"I don't know how to ask for help." JJ confessed

"Just talk to me, let me know what you are thinking." Will

/

The front porch

"Garcia sent a message." Rossi looking at his phone

"Will seems to think that this maybe a cop." Rossi

"Did she say why he thinks that?" Tom asked

"No, but we need to let Emily and Morgan know just to be safe." Rossi

"I'll let them know. I don't want them to come out until we sweep the rest of the house." Hotch as he was calling Morgan

"We need her to pull anyone who was on the force during both cases and if they have a connection to Pennsylvania." Reid

"We also will need to start digging into who had a grudge against the two of you or JJ and Will." Rossi looking at Tom and Bill.

"Jen and Will were teenagers when this all started and neither one of them had anything to do with any cops. The only time they were ever around them was at picnics or BBQ's." Bill told them

"We should see if there's a connection first." Reid

"Let me get Garcia on it." Rossi

"Could you find out how Jen and the kids are doing?" Tom asked

"Yeah." Rossi as he was sending Garcia a message.

/

The sun room

Sandy sat down in the chair by Will and JJ.

"Do you know how long we are going to be down here?" Sandy asked JJ and Will

"Not yet. They found a bug in the attic." JJ

"Someone was listening to us." Sandy

"Yeah, it appears that way." JJ

"Whatever is going through that thick head of yours is not going to happen do you understand me." Sandy looking at JJ

"Mom" JJ

"Jennifer Maria do you understand me. That little girl over there would be worse off if something happened to you. Mariah adores you." Sandy

"I am supposed to protect her." JJ trying to reason

"Not by putting yourself in danger." Sandy

"It's better than the kids being in danger." JJ mumbled

"Don't think I can't get every one of those men to keep you in this room until they catch whoever this is. I get that you want to protect the kids; it's the mother in you. But as your mother I will not let you put yourself in danger." Sandy

"Before the two of you really start fighting. Mariah and Luke are going to need to eat soon. What kind of soup will she eat?" Will

"She's not really a picky eater." JJ told him

"Good to know. I'll fix them some soup, while the two of you talk." Will

"Thank you." JJ, watching him walk away

"Jen, I know that you are trying to protect her but her life got turned upside down just like Will's did and right now it doesn't matter whose fault that is. You have to be there to help her through it." Sandy trying to reason with JJ

"I know. I won't do anything crazy, I promise." JJ

"Thank you." Sandy

/

Garcia stopped Will after receiving Rossi's message.

"I am looking to see if there is any connection between cops here and cops in Pennsylvania that worked both cases. Rossi also asked if you or JJ could think of any cop who would hold a grudge against the two of you." Garcia

"I can't, but I'll talk to her about it." Will looking over at JJ

"She's a mess, not that any of us can blame her." Garcia

"Yeah and stubborn as hell." Will

"Tom asked how JJ and the kids are doing." Garcia

"Tell them the truth. JJ is a nervous wreck and Mariah and Luke both seem fine." Will

"Seem?" Garcia

"Yeah, I just don't think they understand but I am sure they both of questions." Will

"They will ask when they want to." Garcia

"Let me know if you hear anything else. I'm fixing lunch, nothing big but we will have some food." Will

"Okay." Garcia going back to her search

/

Two hours later

Emily and Morgan had returned from the station and swept the house for any more bugs. They found three more, two in the living room and one in the kitchen.

"I guess the unsub was making sure he heard us." Morgan

"The problem is now we could be looking at cops, we all know that could get tricky." Emily

"Did Garcia get anything from the search?" Reid asked

"She is still searching there are lot more cops than we thought." Rossi

"So let's start with what we know." Hotch

"Guys, first we need to get ready for the storm." Tom

"It shouldn't take long to board up both houses." Bill

"We should get Will and JJ. Garcia said the kids were doing okay but JJ was a nervous wreck." Rossi

"Will can help, but JJ stays in the house." Hotch

"Why don't Morgan and Reid come with me? We can start boarding up my house and get the food from there." Tom

"Don't discuss the case, we didn't check that house and hurry back." Rossi

"I'll text Will." Bill

/

Downstairs

"How much longer are we going to be in here?" Mariah almost whining

"Yeah, can't we go upstairs?" Luke

"Didn't the two of you just ask that?" Will

"Yessssssssss" Mariah half smiling at Will

"Then stop asking." JJ ready to laugh

Mariah and Luke had decided it was fun to ask Will the same two questions about every five minutes.

"Do you know when we can leave the room?" Mariah

"Nope and you asking is not going to make it any sooner." JJ

"But we are bored at Aunt Pen won't let us play on the computer." Mariah

"She is working, so you are not allowed to bug her." JJ

"Then what can we do?" Mariah asked

JJ looked at her mom and Will before answering Mariah.

"Baby, I don't know maybe you two could draw some pictures." JJ

Mariah fell on the bed and sighed dramatically.

"That is going to take some getting used." Will as his phone went off

"That was calm." JJ looking at him

"Can you ask Grandpa Dave when we can come out?" Mariah

"Well my dad just texted and said we can." Will

"I knew I like him." Mariah smiling

"She's only nine right." Will

"Yes, I can't wait until she's sixteen." JJ rolling her eyes as she stood up.

"We have to get ready for the storm, but the kids are okay in the house." Will

"Okay, we need to talk after were done getting ready for the storm." JJ

"Whatever you want, Garcia are you okay stopping." Will

"Yes." Garcia

/

Emily and Rossi went downstairs to help Will and JJ while Hotch and Bill started getting out the boards for the windows.

"Em, the kids are coming up first." JJ

"Okay come on monkeys." Emily

Emily helped Mariah and Luke up the ladder, Rossi grabbed Garcia's computer than helped both her and Sandy up the ladder.

"Cher your next." Will told JJ

JJ climbed up and Will followed.

"What's the plan?" JJ asked

"Morgan and Reid went with your dad to board up his house. Hotch and Bill are getting the boards so we can board up this house. You are to stay in the house, so are the kids." Rossi

"Okay. Can the window in Luke's room be boarded first?" JJ

"Yes, Will we need your help." Rossi

"Okay, let's go." Will

/

An hour and half later both houses were board up and all the food was put away. Sandy had taken Mariah and Luke into the basement to play some video games, Tom went down to watch Mariah. Bill and Rossi were cooking dinner; the team was all resting in the rooms they stayed in the night before. JJ went to the room her mom stayed in hoping Will would find her.

"Jen" Will opening the door a little

"Come in and shut the door." JJ sitting up

"You said you wanted to talk." Will standing by the door

"Yeah. You can come sit down we just haven't been able to talk much." JJ

Will sat next to her, he watched as JJ put her hand in his.

"She's funny. I am so used to Luke having a girl is going to be completely different." Will

"Mariah was seeing what she could get away with but she can a little more than dramatic." JJ smiling

"She has your smile." Will looking at JJ

"I guess." JJ looking at the ground

"We agreed to be honest with each other." Will

"I realized downstairs how much you missed out on with Mariah. When Mariah and I were laying down she was talking to me, not asking question just talking but you should know some of it." JJ

"I would love to know. I have to admit I'm a little jealous watching the two of you." Will

"She likes that you call her Princess because no one else calls her that and that you listen and remember what she says, she's not sure why but she feels safe around you, she's not happy about our arrangement and she's almost positive you are not going to change your mind." JJ told him

"Jen, I am not going to let her down or you." Will

"I know but she's a lot like me when it comes to her feelings sometimes it takes her awhile to come around, but she doesn't understand why it is different with you." JJ

"How do we help her?" Will

"We don't. You do and I am not asking you to take time away from Luke but you spending time with her helps." JJ

"I have to earn her trust." Will

"Yeah." JJ

"Okay then that's what happens. What about you?" Will

"You have my trust." JJ

"Good. Now the arrangement how do we fix it." Will

"I have no clue. I am ready to ask everyone their ideas." JJ

"I almost asked your mom when we were in the room." Will admitted

"I feel like I am sixteen again when I ask her for help but I don't have any clue what to do to help Mariah, Luke or us." JJ

"Then let's take suggestions because I am lost." Will

Please tell me what you think


	15. Chapter 15

**This chapter is all Will and JJ trying to figuring out what to do. The next chapter will be more about the case and the storm. Please R&R.**

"What else are you thinking about?" Will asked

"Downstairs when we kissed." JJ admitted

"Jen, I told you if it was mistake." Will started

"I don't think it was a mistake but what happens if you and I move forward and it doesn't work out. I am afraid what that would do to Luke and Mariah." JJ

"I have loved since I was sixteen. I still love you but I understand why you are afraid." Will

"Will, I feel the same way about you. I don't want to give you up again, being in your arms last night felt right. Are we being selfish?" JJ whispered

"We love each other and want to give those two kids a family with two parents. I don't think we are, let's just take things down between us one step at a time and see where it goes." Will

"We have to be careful around them." JJ leaning her head on his shoulder.

"They come first." Will agreeing

"Has your dad said anything about this, I haven't had a chance to talk to him?" JJ asked

"He hasn't said a lot. I think he is trying to give us space and he did say he didn't want to overwhelm her." Will

"He didn't say anything about Luke." JJ

"Dad wanted to know what Luke asked when I told him. I explained that we are trying to do what is best for both of them. He seemed okay with it." Will

"We both know Mariah doesn't like our idea about weekends but we haven't asked Luke what he thinks. Maybe we should sit them down and talk to both of them." JJ

"You want to ask a ten year old and a nine year what they think" Will asked

"Kind of, I would like know what they want to happen or at least how they are both feeling. I don't want to uproot either of them or interrupt their lives any more than we need to." JJ explained

"Okay, they are both out of school right now and I have a couple weeks of vacation after the case what if Luke and I come there for three or four days." Will suggested

"I have vacation time too, more than a couple of weeks, I can take some time off but you're more than welcome to come for a week. But we only have one guest room." JJ

"Then you bring Mariah here and the two of you stay at my house with Luke and me. My dad can get to know her better then." Will

"We sound like adults. I didn't think about you not living here." JJ laughing a little

"I do stay here a lot depending on my schedule but I live about ten minutes from here." Will

"What about the storm? You didn't board up your house." JJ lifting her head up.

"Another detective did it. When Garcia let me use the computer earlier I emailed him and asked him if he could. How are you doing with storm coming?" Will, knowing she hated them

"I am not happy about it and Riah is really not going to like it." JJ

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in" JJ

/

They were both a little surprised to see her mom and his dad at the door. JJ had forgotten that she was holding Will's hand or how close they were sitting to each other.

"Please tell me nothing else has happened." JJ

"No nothing with either case." Bill told her

"That's a good thing." JJ unsure

"Where are Mariah and Luke?" Will

"They are still downstairs playing that video game." Bill

"Is someone with them?" JJ

"Yes, Morgan is helping them because according to Mariah he is a gamer and Emily and Pen went down. Your dad is still down there." Sandy

"She said gamer, great another one of Morgan's words that she has picked up." JJ

"I don't think you have to worry about it. Garcia got to him." Bill

"Bill and I were wondering if the two of you have made any decisions on what happens next with the two of you and the kids." Sandy looking at their hands

"That's what we were just talking. We are trying to figure out how to do this without the kids getting more confused." Will admitted

"What have you come up with?" Bill asked

"Well originally we thought that we could rotate weekends, one weekend here and the next weekend Virginia but Mariah does not like that idea." JJ

"Why doesn't she like it?" Sandy

"She said her friends don't have families like that." Will

Sandy laughed looking at JJ and Will.

"What?" JJ

"That girl has never had a normal family, we both know that. Mariah is seeing if she can get the two of you to do what she wants." Sandy

"I think she just doesn't want to leave Will or Luke." JJ

"That's a good possibility after watching the two of them together." Bill

"She needs to get to know you too. I am sorry I haven't talked to you a lot about all this." JJ looking at Bill

"You have nothing to be sorry for it's been crazy around here and I will get to know her." Bill

"What else have you decided?" Sandy

"Since they are out of school we thought we would both take some time off and instead of the weekends we would do three or four days." Will

"I want to ask Luke and Mariah what they want to happen." JJ added

"Luke is playing part in all this." Bill

"Yes" Will a little confused

"I don't want to uproot or disrupt either of their lives more then we have to. Luke is just as big part of all this as Mariah is." JJ

"Have either of you thought of moving?" Sandy asked

"No, we think that we should take things one step at a time." Will

"I know that Kim was here yesterday dropping off Luke. Have you thought about how you are going to deal with Mike's family?" Bill

"No I haven't with everything else going on and now the storm. Luke asked if he was going to have to live with her after I told him about Mariah." Will

"That isn't happening." Bill

"Jen said the same thing." Will

"I can't replace Kirsten nor would I try but Luke isn't living with that woman." JJ looking at Bill

"You know who you just sounded like." Bill

"Sophia" Sandy answered before JJ could answer.

"I guess." JJ looking at the ground

"There was no I guess about that." Bill laughing

"What do the two of you think?" JJ asked

"It sounds like the two of you have a plan." Sandy told her simply

"We have no idea what we are doing here. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated." Will

"I don't know about Sandy but it sounds like a good plan to me." Bill

"Mom, please what do you really think?" JJ

"I think it sounds like the two of you are doing what's right for the kids; none of us have been in this situation before mistakes are going to be made. But I also think neither of you should forget to reconnect with each other, get to know each other again. I can still see the love between the two of you." Sandy

JJ looked at her mom not really sure what to say.

"You are not teenagers anymore and have both changed in the last ten years, I am just saying that you should take your time." Sandy

JJ shook her head

"We have talked about that and agreed that whatever is going to happen between us will not be seen by the kids until we know where it is going." Will told them both

"We don't want them to get the wrong impression or hurt." JJ

"Stop worrying everything is going to be okay." Bill told them

"Bill's right and it's time to eat." Rossi from the doorway

"You cooked so does that mean Italian." JJ almost smiling

"Yes, but only because someone said it might make you smile." Rossi walking away

"Bill did anyone tell you what Mariah calls Rossi?" JJ asked

"Yes and its okay. He loves that little girl and her mom." Bill

"More like her Nana." JJ mumbled, seeing her dad and the kids come up the stairs

"Mommy it's time to eat and Luke's never had Grandpa Dave's ravioli." Maria announced

"Okay, I see you're excited." JJ getting up

Luke looked a little confused; JJ noticed it before everyone else.

"Hey what's wrong?" JJ asked him

Luke noticed everyone looking at him.

"Nothing" Luke replied

"Why don't the rest of us go start fixing our plates?" Sandy

"Okay, Mariah I think you should show the two of us how to eat the ravioli right." Bill as he point to Tom

"I can do that. Luke are you coming?" Maria

"We will be there in just a minute." JJ answered her

"Okay" Mariah walking away

/

"Now do you want to share what's wrong?" Will asked

"Does Mariah have to share her Nana and Grandpa? I mean I have to share Grandpa and I like Mariah but it doesn't seem real fair that she doesn't have to share." Luke told them

Will and JJ looked at each other. JJ thought about it for a minute.

"We really hadn't thought about that yet but I am sure my mom will not have a problem with you calling her Nana, as long as it is okay with both Will and your Grandpa, but I am a little confused on sharing her Grandpa." JJ

"Why?" Luke

"I am not sure which grandpa you are talking about my dad or Dave." JJ looking at Will

"Her Grandpa Dave" Luke

"Let us talk to Grandpa, Sandy and Dave it's not that Mariah didn't want to share, she didn't know you wanted her too." Will

"Anytime you have any questions please come find one of us no matter what the question is." JJ

"Okay" Luke

"Come on let's go eat." Will

"I really am hungry." Luke smiling

"Well then you are really going to like this." JJ as they walked out of the bedroom.


	16. Chapter 16

Everyone was sitting around the living room eating their food; the team had agreed not to talk about the case until Mariah and Luke were back downstairs.

"Has anyone watched the news?" Sandy asked

"Yes and I think we need to rearrange the basement and take all the mattress down there." Bill

"How strong?" Will asked

"Most likely a one, but could be a two." Bill

"And that means what?" Garcia

"Lots of wind and rain, but shouldn't be any flooding." Tom

"What happens if there is flooding?" Emily

"It has only reached this far once and we have the shelter. You have nothing to be worried about." Bill

"Mommy are we having a slumber party?" Mariah

"I guess you could call it that, everyone is going to sleep downstairs." JJ

"Can we put make up on Uncle Morgan?" Mariah whispered to JJ

"That is definitely a question for your Aunt Pen." JJ laughing

"Can I share Aunt Pen with Luke?" Mariah whispered

"I don't have a problem with that but you need to ask Will and then Aunt Pen." JJ

"Whatever sugar pop has to ask me the answer is yes." Garcia announced

"Please make sure you ask me before you ask Aunt Pen." JJ looking Mariah

"Does she have a knick name for everyone?" Will

"Yes, usually more than one." Rossi

"They have knick names they don't even know about." Emily laughing

"How bad do the storms usually get?" Reid

"Spencer" Emily and Garcia

"We are getting a storm." Mariah

"Yes, but it will be okay." JJ

"We are all going to be down stairs together, you are going to be just fine." Sandy

Mariah hated storms just as much as JJ did; she wasn't convinced that her mom or Nana was telling her the truth.

"You can put make up on Uncle Spence too." JJ whispered to her

"Can I do his hair since Uncle Morgan doesn't have any?" Mariah whispered back

"Yes, but we have to work for a little bit first." JJ

"Okay." Mariah as she sat back down

"I am not sure I want to know what you just told her she could do." Rossi looking at JJ

Mariah looked up to JJ, before she could ask.

"No, that will get me in trouble." JJ looking at Mariah

"We need more board games; they got bored in the shelter." Will

"And sugar pop gets dramatic when she's bored." Garcia

"There should be more in the top of the hall closet." Bill

"I'll get them down, just in case." Will

"Mommy, I am done do I still have my brownie." Mariah

JJ looked at Bill not sure of the answer.

"Yes and yours in there too." Bill

"JJ, are you sharing?" Morgan

"With you no but if Luke doesn't have his, I'll share with him." JJ

"Kid you should feel lucky." Morgan laughing

"Thank you." Luke

"You're welcome. Mom can you help me?" JJ, needing to talk to her about Luke

"Yeah" Sandy

/

In the kitchen

"Okay, what's going on because I know that you don't really need help?" Sandy

"Early when Will and I were talking to Luke, he wanted to know if Mariah had to share her Nana and Grandpa because he has to share Bill." JJ started as took the brownies out of the refrigerator

"What did Will say?" Sandy

"For a minute neither of us knew what to say, I mean we really haven't gotten that far. But we both agreed that if it was okay with Bill, Rossi, and you that it was okay with us." JJ

"Hold on he met Dave and not your dad." Sandy

"Yes, he has only heard Mariah call Dave Grandpa and for the record I know and so does the team. Dad isn't blind he probably knows too." JJ

"What are you talking about?" Sandy

"Mom, seriously do you know how weird it was to walk into the living room this morning and all three of you sitting there, I felt like a kid. Dave goes on trips the same weekends you do, did you not think I would put it together?" JJ

"Jen I don't" Sandy started but couldn't finish

"If he makes you happy, then I am happy. Is it a little weird? Yes, but I am okay with it. You deserve a life outside of us and you are really happy when he's around. I like seeing you smile" JJ

"Does he know that you know?" Sandy

"I don't know for sure, I haven't said anything." JJ

"You know he loves you and Mariah, I had to convince him several times not to come down stairs last night." Sandy

"Why?" JJ as she put the second brownie in the microwave

"He sees the way you and Will look at each other and doesn't want either of you hurt, add Mariah and Luke into that and I think he is going to get very over protective." Sandy

"Great because that's what this situation needs." JJ

"I am okay with Luke calling me Nana as long as Bill is okay with it. Let's get back." Sandy as she took a brownie from JJ

/

JJ and Sandy walked back into the living room.

"Here the two of you go." JJ handing brownies to Mariah and Luke

"Thank you." Luke

"Thank you." Mariah

"You're both welcome, please don't make a mess." JJ

"JJ, Will said he didn't have a chance to ask you early. Can you think of any cop that might be mad at you or him?" Spencer asked

"From here?" JJ as she took a bite, she noticed that Will, Hotch, Morgan, Bill and Rossi weren't in the room.

"Yes, from when you lived here." Emily looking at the kids

"I didn't really know any of the cops here other than Dad and Bill." JJ

"Where did everyone go?" Sandy asked

"They are setting up Garcia's computer stuff downstairs." Emily

"And Will thinks that bags were left in the shelter." Tom

"We didn't grab them when we came back up." JJ

"After the kids are done eating I can take them downstairs." Sandy

"We are going to take the mattress downstairs." Morgan walking into the room

"Do you want help?" Tom

"Yes, if we break up into groups of two it will take one or two trips at the most." Hotch walking back in

"Someone has to stay with the kids." JJ

"I know you know better. The guys will move the mattress downstairs." Bill

"We can." Emily started

"It will get you nowhere." JJ told her

"Garcia is now set up." Will and Garcia walking back in.

"We set up in the shelter and thought we could take the case stuff in there so that small people don't hear or see anything." Garcia

"I couldn't agree more with that." Emily

"Is all the mattress going down?" JJ asked

"Yes, this way no one has to share, unless they want to." Rossi

JJ started laughing

"Jennifer." Sandy warned

"What's so funny?" Reid

"Nothing" JJ

"Okay let's get started." Bill

They guys started caring mattress down stair, Sandy and Emily cleaned up from dinner while JJ and Garcia sat with Mariah and Luke.

/

The team plus Bill, Tom and Will were in the shelter going over the case; Sandy had Mariah and Luke in the basement playing games.

"Jay, could you think of anyone?" Emily

"No, I didn't know any of the cops." JJ

"What about the kids you hung out with? I know that most cops' kids hang out together." Morgan

JJ looked at Will.

"I guess we all were." JJ

"Yeah everyone we hung around on a regular basis and at least one parent that was a cop." Will

"Any problems with any of them?" Rossi

JJ shook her head no.

"We all had disagreements but never anything big." Will

"What about that boy?" Tom

JJ looked at him a little confused.

"I can't remember his name but he gave you a rough time from the start. Kirsten didn't like him either." Tom

"Josh is the only person I can think of." Will

"I forgot about him." JJ admitted

"His dad was the chief." Bill told everyone

"Was he your age?" Hotch

"No, I think he was closer in age to Will or Kirsten." JJ

"Kirsten so he was two years old then me and close to three years older than Jen." Will

"Is he still around?" Reid

"Yeah, he's a cop." Will

"Was he at the station yesterday?" Morgan

"He could have been I really didn't pay that much attention." Will

"I don't know if I would recognize him." JJ

"He was we walked past him when we went into the conference room and he was there when I told you the team was coming and that Jen was a part of the team." Bill

"What's his last name we can look him up?" Rossi

"Tanner." Will

"You really think he could have something to do with this. It was teasing not murder." JJ

"Right now it's the best lead we have." Emily

"Did any of the original victims look like any of the other girls you hung around with? Rossi

"I haven't seen any of the photos." JJ

"Bill, Tom did they remind either of you of the girls?" Rossi

"The last one of Jen and the one before that was a brunette, so was Kirsten." Tom

"Does he have a connection to Pennsylvania?" Reid

"I am looking into that right now. He does have a couple of minor infractions on his jacket but nothing that would be considered serious." Garcia

"JJ, could he have known you were pregnant?" Emily

"No." JJ

"Did you tell anyone you thought you were pregnant?" Morgan

"No, I kept it to myself and I bought the test from a store over three miles from here." JJ

"He wouldn't have known when she left. Gumdrop do you know a Matt Talbert?" Garcia

"Yes why?" JJ

"Would he have known about Mariah?" Garcia

"Yeah, his brother was married to Lauren; Mitch is Macy's biological father." JJ

"Maybe Shane should pick him." Tom

"It wouldn't be a good idea for Shane or Kris to pick up Matt, it could really make thing worse." JJ told them

"Why? Other than the obvious." Emily

"When Macy was about six, Mitch brought her back to Lauren about three hours late. Lauren and Shane started dating about a month after Mariah was born, so this was right before I went to college. When he pulled up of course Lauren went out, I went with her, and they started arguing then both Shane and Kris came out. Mitch went to hit Lauren who was paying attention and moved in time, I however was looking at the house because I thought I heard Macy and he ended up hitting me. Kris and Shane both flipped out." JJ

"Is Mitch still alive?" Tom asked

"Yes, but only because mom came out with that old shot gun; she fired a warning shot and then one into the radiator of his car. But Matt was in the car, mom dared him to get out, the cops took them both in." JJ laughing

"Your mom missed and why are you laughing?" Tom

"She missed on purpose, I think she was afraid that she would hit it Kris or Shane. I'm laughing because it wasn't funny at the time but seeing their face when mom shot that gun is now funny." JJ

"Are we going to Pennsylvania next?" Morgan

"Can I go with you?" Will

"No to both of you." JJ

"We need to let Shane know we found a link, he will able to do more than we can the next couple of days." Hotch

"What if this isn't about Mariah?" JJ

"What do you mean?" Rossi

"Shane thought she was a target and with everything that happened earlier I agree but what if that didn't happen until she was brought here. If Matt is involved it could be more about Macy than Mariah." JJ picking up her phone to text Lauren

"You could be onto something." Morgan

"The message said we know where she is. That doesn't necessarily mean Mariah, Macy is at moms." JJ looking back at her phone

"Call Lauren or Shane." Rossi

JJ hit the button for her sister's number.

"Hey, are you with Shane?" JJ asked

"Yes and Kris" Lauren

"Are Ben and Macy still up?" JJ

"No, they are both asleep." Lauren

"Put me on speaker phone. I am going to the same thing." JJ

"Everyone there with you" Lauren

"Yes." JJ putting them on speaker phone

"Hey peanut, what's going on?" Kris

"Stop calling me that." JJ

"Not going to happen and I thought it was better than bug." Kris

"I am going to shoot you and I am a way better shot then you." JJ rolling her eyes

"Some things never change." Tom mumbled

"Jen, what's going on?" Shane

"We think we have a link between New Orleans and Pennsylvania." Hotch

"Are you guys going to be able to doing anything the next couple of days?" Kris

"No, we are already boxed in." Rossi

"Jen, how is Mariah taking the storm coming?" Lauren

"Right now okay but she doesn't have a clue about what's coming. I did tell her she could play beauty parlor with Morgan and Reid so maybe it'll help." JJ

Lauren starting laughing "I want pictures."

"That's not happening." Morgan

"What's the link?" Shane

"Before they tell you I need you and Kris to listen and neither of you are allowed to go pick up the suspect. If you do I am so telling mom so promise me you won't go." JJ

"You're telling mom." Kris

"Yes and we all know that there is a healthy level of fear from all of us when it comes to mom." JJ

"I promise." Shane

"Me too peanut." Kris

"Dave is going to tell you." Hotch

Please Read and Review


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, so I realized that after I posted the last Chapter I didn't have how the unsubs were connected. I am also sorry if this chapter jumps around a little.

Please read and Review.

/

JJ sat and listened to Rossi explaining to Lauren, Kris, and Shane why they thought Matt was connected to the case.

"How is he connected to the guy there?" Shane asked

"They're cousins." Garcia answered

"We need to locate him." Kris

"PG, Can you track his cell phone?" JJ asked

"Yeah, it shouldn't take long." Garcia told her

"Are you able to send them the program that they will be able to track the phone?" Tom

"I should be able to but I would need the information for the internet there." Garcia

"Why would we need that?" Lauren finally asked

"The storm is supposed to make landfall in the next four hours, we will lose signal and this way you could track him." Tom told his oldest daughter

"I don't know where Mom's password information is." Kris

"Good thing I can ask." JJ getting up, she didn't want to here anymore

"Jen, take me off speaker." Lauren

"I can't that's how everyone is talking, let me get mom's phone and I'll call you on Shane's phone." JJ

"Fine" Lauren

JJ knew that her sister was scared and annoyed that she couldn't do anything.

"Give me a couple minutes." JJ as she walked out of the room.

/

JJ climbed the ten steps to get into the basement; she was surprised to see Mariah sitting on the bed pouting and her mom and Luke sitting on the couch.

"Should I ask what happen?" JJ looking at Sandy

"She wanted to start yelling for you again, even though she knows you're working so now she's pouting." Sandy explaining

"I need the internet password for the house and to use your cell phone. I'll be back up after that." JJ

"She's okay." Sandy getting up to find a piece of paper and a pen

"Why did she want me?" JJ whispered to Sandy

"She won't tell me, I think she is starting to get scared." Sandy

JJ shook her head and sighed.

"Mariah, I'll be back up as soon as I can. I have to call Aunt Lauren." JJ

"Can I go with you please?" Mariah

"Baby, I am working and so is everyone else." JJ watching as Mariah turned from her and laid her face into one of the pillows.

"Jen" Luke

"Yeah" JJ turning to look at him

"She's scared and wants you and Uncle Will." Luke whispered

"Thank you. How are you doing?" JJ leaning down

"I want you and Uncle Will too." Luke told her.

"Okay, both of you give me a couple of minutes." JJ as she took the piece paper from Sandy

/

Back downstairs

"Can we track the other guy too?" Shane asked

"If we lose signal it won't do any good and we will probably lose cell service." Will

"Does that mean you are sitting ducks?" Lauren

"No, we have enough protection and the room we are in is everything proof. If it comes to it everyone will be in here." Bill

"Should we pick up Matt?" Kris

"If what JJ says is true then maybe another officer should pick him up." Hotch

"I am sure she told you the story and I'll send another agent to pick him up." Shane

"Okay here is mom's internet password." JJ walking back in the room

"Great, now one of you hook up to the house internet so I can get the IP address." Garcia

"I'll get online now." Kris

"Where's Lauren?" JJ

"She went up to check on the kids." Shane

"Tell her I'll call her in just a little bit." JJ, nodding at Will to go into the hall

"I'll let her know." Shane

The team watched as JJ and Will walked out into the hallway.

/

Hallway

"What's going on?" Will

"Both kids are scared, Mariah is upstairs crying and wants us; so does Luke." JJ

"She wants us." Will

"Yes, she wants her parents. I can't stay down here and work." JJ

"Okay, I'll come up too." Will

"Will, I can handle both of them." JJ told

"Our daughter is asking for both of us." Will smiling

"Okay we should" JJ stopping when the lights flickered on and off

"Mommy" Mariah yelled

/

"Was that the storm?" Emily

"I am not sure, but let's get up stairs with the kids and Sandy." Bill hearing Mariah yell

JJ was already almost up the steps when the rest team came into the hallway.

"Jen, we are all right behind you." Tom

"Okay." JJ

Ten minutes later everyone was in the basement. Reid was sitting on one of mattress reading; Morgan, Emily, Garcia and Tom were playing cards; Sandy, Rossi and Bill were talking; Hotch was on the phone with Shane although the signal was coming and going; and JJ and Will were sitting on the bed they had slept in the night before with Mariah and Luke talking.

"How long does the storm last?" Mariah asked

"It could last a couple hours or a couple of days." JJ

"Princess you and Luke are safe, I promise." Will

"Are you sure?" Mariah

"Yes, your momma and I will not let anything happen to either of you." Will

"And neither will anyone else in this room." JJ

"They won't?" Luke

"No and I'll prove it." JJ smiling at Luke

"I need everyone's attention for a minute." JJ

Everyone looked at her but Reid.

"Morgan" JJ

"Kid, pay attention." Morgan as he threw a small ball at him

"Sorry" Reid

"Mariah and Luke are worried about the storm." JJ started

"So is Jen" Sandy shaking her head

"I just told them that no one in this room will let anything happen to them, neither of them looked sure, so is anyone going to let anything happen to either of them." JJ

"No" from everyone

"See you are both fine." JJ smiling at the kids

/

"I think everyone should get a little bit of rest." Bill

"Should we take shifts?" Tom

"No, we should wait until it comes ashore." Bill

"Then what happens?" Garcia

"We will take shifts making sure we know what is going on at all times." Will

"How will we know what's going on?" Emily

"The police scanner and the radio." Will

"If it gets bad or we need to move people into the shelter we can." Bill

"Is that were the food is?" Sandy

"Yes and we can cook down there." Bill

"We need to make sure the folders are up and away." JJ, looking over at the kids

"I'll go put them up." Tom

"Thanks. I spoke with Shane and he is going to let Strauss know what's going on and work the case from there until we can start again." Hotch

"We can still work at least with the files we have." Spencer

"If it's not your turn to keep track of the storm and the kids can't see them, I don't see why we couldn't." Rossi

"We should all probably get into comfortable clothes." Sandy

"Is there only one bathroom?" Garcia looking around

"Yeah and one in the shelter" Will

"It'll be easy to change. JJ grab a couple of blankets." Emily

/

Garcia, Emily, and Sandy held up the blankets by where the kids had been laying down while JJ and Mariah change.

"Mommy why is Nana, Aunt Pen and Aunt Em holding up blankets?" Mariah

"So that none of the boys can see us change." JJ

"Are you going to sleep with me and Luke again?" Mariah

"If you both want me to." JJ as she put on her sleep pants.

"Can Will?" Mariah asked sitting back on the bed

"You can ask him but when the storm hits we both may not be able to sleep with you and Luke." JJ told her

"Why not?" Mariah

"Come with me. Who's next?" JJ

"Go ahead Sandy." Emily

JJ and Sandy switched places; before JJ answered Mariah's questions.

"This storm is a little different than the ones we get, so we have to take turns listening to the radios so we know what is going on." JJ

"I don't think I like this storm." Mariah, making the women laugh.

"Neither does your mom." Sandy as she traded places with Garcia.

"Nana's trying to be funny." JJ

"Why is this storm different?" Mariah asked

"The best people to explain that to you would be Will or his dad; they have both been through this a couple of times." JJ

"Can I ask them now?" Mariah

"You need to wait until Emily is done changing and then we have to see if all the boys are done changing." JJ

"Okay." Mariah

"Ladies, we're done whenever you are." Morgan

"I'm good" Emily told the other women

JJ, Sandy and Garcia put down the blankets. JJ noticed Morgan and Will talking lowly to each other.

"Mariah, please wait a minute before you ask Will." JJ concerned

"Okay mommy." Mariah watching Will walk towards them

"Princess, can I talk to your momma alone for a minute?" Will

"Why don't you go sit with Nana and Luke?" JJ

"Then can I ask?" Mariah

"Yes as soon as we are done." JJ

"Okay" Mariah, walking towards Sandy

/

"Bathroom" Will told JJ as soon as Mariah was with Sandy

JJ went in the bathroom; Will followed closing the door behind them.

"What the hell is going on?" JJ looking at him

"Can you do me a favor without arguing about it?" Will asked as he pulled her close to him

"I can try but you're starting to worry me." JJ laying her head on his chest

"I want you to take the kids into the shelter and stay there until the storm is over and until we catch Josh or whoever this is." Will

"Are you going with us?" JJ

"I am going down to help get them settled, when the storm hits I am going to take first shift then I'll be back down. I am not asking you to lock the door unless it's necessary." Will

"What else happened?" JJ

"Jen, I just need you to do this without asking a bunch of questions or arguing." Will

"I won't argue but I need to know what happened." JJ

"I don't want you to worry because both Luke and Mariah pick up on it; nothing is going to happen to the kids or you." Will kissing her head

"Will" JJ almost pleading

"Dad heard Josh on the police scanner talking about he was coming to check on us. Jen every window and door is boarded on both the inside and out; I just need know that you three are safe." Will

"Okay" JJ

"Okay, that's it." Will

"Yes, Mariah has questions for you about the storm." JJ

"Thank you." Will

"For what?" JJ

"Not arguing and helping me get to know her." Will

JJ lifted her head up and kissed him.

"Come on let's get them down stairs." Will

/

JJ and Will came out of the bathroom. Morgan and Rossi both looked at Will, who simply shook his head as JJ walked over to the kids and Sandy.

"Hey we are going to go stay in the shelter." JJ told the kids but was looking at Sandy.

"How come?" Mariah

"This way when the storm hits you won't be able to hear it as much." JJ

"Are you staying with us?" Luke

"Yes and Uncle Will is going to stay for a little bit too. Mariah, Can you get your bear?" JJ

"Yeah" Mariah getting up

"Luke come get your stuff too." Will

"Okay." Luke

Sandy watched the kids walk away.

"When Will comes back up I'll come down and stay with you and the kids; that's if they don't have me and Penelope down there sooner." Sandy

"Okay, I am not shutting or locking the door right now." JJ worried

"Baby girl it's going to be okay." Sandy

"I know, I really do I just hate all this." JJ

"I know" Sandy

"Jen, the kids are ready." Will


	18. Chapter 18

**This is kind of a cute chapter. please read and review**

Shelter

JJ, Will, Mariah and Luke walked in on Tom putting away the folders

"Hey, everything is put up." Tom

"Thanks Dad." JJ

"Are you staying down here?" Tom

"Yes, everyone seems to think it's a better idea for the kids not to hear the storm." JJ noticing the pill bottle on the desk

"What's that?" JJ

"It's nothing." Tom picking up the bottle

"Dad is something wrong." JJ

"Nothing for you to worry about, I am going back up to the basement." Tom

"Dad" JJ

"Jennifer spend time with your family." Tom walking out of the room.

JJ turned around to see Will sitting with Luke and Mariah talking to both of them; she could see the four of them being a family.

/

"Jen, come sit down." Will looking at her

"What are you three over here whispering about?" JJ sitting next to Luke

"I was asking Will about the storm." Mariah

"Oh yeah, do you feel better now." JJ

"Nope but I understand the difference." Mariah

"Luke, Are you okay?" Will

"Yes, I am better." Luke

"Good." Will smiling at him

"Luke, what's your favorite color?" JJ

"Green" Luke

"Why green?" Mariah

"I don't know but I like it. What's yours?" Luke

"Mostly Purple but I like red too." Mariah

"Red is a good color. Jen what's yours?" Luke

"Aqua." JJ smiling

"Will what's yours." Mariah

"Blue" Will

JJ thought about it for a minute, playing this little game might be a good way for Will and Mariah to get to know each other and she would get to know Luke better.

"Luke, what's your favorite food?" JJ asked

"Cheeseburgers and fries. What about you?" Luke

"Pizza" JJ smiled

"Hey, that's mine too." Mariah

"I know. Will what's yours?" JJ

"Grits" Will smiling

"We had those for breakfast, they were okay." Mariah

"It takes a while to get used to them." Luke

"Mariah, do you play sports?" Will

"Yeah, soccer like mommy did and dance." Mariah

"Luke what about you?" JJ

"Football and baseball." Luke told her

"Just like your uncle." JJ laughing

"Can I ask something?" Luke

"Of course you can." Will

"Are we going to all live together?" Luke

/

JJ and Will looked at each other.

"No, you and I are going to live here and Jen and Mariah are going to live in Virginia. Why?" Will

"How far is Virginia from here?" Luke

"On a plane it takes about three hours to get from here to there." JJ

"How come we can't all live together?" Luke

"Yeah" Mariah

"There goes the fun questions." Will looking at JJ

"Will and I both have jobs and neither of us want to change everything for the two of you all at once, but we thought while you both were out of school we could spend time together in both places." JJ

"Luke, what are you worried about?" Will

"Does Aunt Kim have to go with us or spend time with us when Jen and Mariah are here?" Luke

"No, Kim won't be doing either." Will confused why he would think that

"Unless you want her to; I know that she watches you when Will works and just because Mariah and I will be here, that does not mean that you can't spend time with her." JJ

"No, I told you she likes Uncle Will more than me. I like all of us being together like it is now and that's going to change." Luke

"It will a little but we can talk on the phone and on the computer and I promise that we are all going to visit each a lot." JJ, noticing Mariah move away from Will and pouting

"I don't want things to change." Luke

JJ looked at Will and saw that he was confused by Mariah's actions, he looked almost hurt.

"Divide and conquer." JJ

"Probably best or we're going to get eaten alive." Will

"I'll take her, you take him." JJ as she was getting up.

"Mariah let's sit over here for a minute." JJ

/

Mariah and JJ sat on one of the beds in the far corner of the room.

"What happen over there?" JJ asked

"Nothing" Mariah

"Riah, you were having a good time and I think you liked sitting with Will but then you looked upset by something." JJ

"I was, but then Luke said the he's Aunt Kim liked Will. Is that why we can't all live together because Will likes her too? Mommy, I don't like her." Mariah

"First, Luke didn't mean to upset you. He was asking questions like we told him too. Second, if Will did like Kim then that's something you would have to get used to." JJ, before Mariah interrupted her

"But I don't like her and she wasn't nice to you or Aunt Em yesterday. So why is it fair that I have to get used to her." Mariah

"Okay, calm down. I didn't say that Will like her, what I said was if he did. Do you remember when I told you last night that Will wanted you to be happy?" JJ

"Yes" Mariah

"What I was trying to say was that Will deserves to be happy too and IF he liked Kim then you should try to like her as well because it's only fair that you would want your daddy to happy." JJ

Mariah looked at JJ

"What?" JJ

"You called him my daddy." Mariah whispered

"Well, he is and I should start making sure that I just don't call him Will to you." JJ

"He likes you not her." Mariah

"Who told you that?" JJ

"Earlier I heard him, Grandpa Dave and Uncle Morgan talking. He told them he loves you." Mariah

"You know better than to listen to other people's conversions especially adult conversions. Yes, Will loves me and I love him because together we created you so no matter what we will always love each other and no I am not explaining how you were created." JJ

"Nana said you two were meant to be together." Mariah countered back

"Mariah, everything you are talking about is adult things and not for kids. Will and I are trying to figure everything out but that doesn't mean you should not get to know your dad." JJ

/

Will and Luke

"Okay, it's just us. Why are you worried about your Aunt Kim?" Will

"I like Jen better and Aunt Kim wasn't nice to her yesterday." Luke

"What you mean about yesterday?" Will

"I mean she was rude and kept making it sound like the two of you were together." Luke

"Jen knows that Kim and I aren't together." Will

"She reminds me of mom, Jen does and I like her being around." Luke

"Your momma would like Jen being a part of your life and we are trying to figure out the best way for all of us. Are you and Mariah getting along?" Will

"Yes, she's fun and we already like each other. I know that she likes you too." Luke

"How do you know that?" Will

"We talked about it, she's just afraid but she does want you to be her daddy." Luke

"I'll figure out the best way to handle your aunt so you have nothing to worry about." Will

"I would rather spend time with Jen and Mariah. Can't we just go live with them?" Luke

"It's not that easy." Will

"It is adults make it more difficult." Luke

"Dude no more talk shows for you. Do you feel any better?" Will

"Yes, just make sure you don't mess up." Luke getting up

"Mariah wanna play a board game?" Luke

"Yes" Mariah walking over to the table

/

"Seriously, they both act like nothing happened." JJ walking back over to Will

"Tell me what you found out and I'll tell you what I found out." Will

"First your daughter overheard you talking to Dave and Morgan." JJ

"My daughter, what did she hear?" Will

"You telling them that you loved me." JJ smiling

"Ahh, how did you explain that?" Will

"That we both love each other because of her. We have to be more careful." JJ

"Why did she get upset?" Will

"She thought Luke meant that you liked Kim too and apparently your daughter has an opinion on that issue." JJ

"That's her mother coming out of her." Will laughing

"I'll give you that one. What did you learn?" JJ

"That adults make thing difficult." Will

"He said that." JJ

"Yes and that he likes you more than Kim and that you remind him of Kirsten." Will

"He is so much like Kirsten it's not even funny." JJ

"He also told me that Mariah likes me, she's just afraid and that they talked about it and that I am not allowed to mess this up." Will

"We are in trouble if they work together." JJ

"What else did you learn?" Will

"That when talking to Mariah I need to start calling you her dad more and my mom thinks we were meant to be together." JJ

"I can agree with the last part." Will

"What are we going to do?" JJ

"Stick with the plan, time there and time here and somewhere in there time for us." Will grabbing her hand

"Will, what if they?" Jen

"I can explain why I am holding your hand but to be honest the last twenty four hours have been crazy and I just want to make sure that you are actually here." Will

"It does feel a little like a dream." JJ

"Let's sit on the couch." Will

"They should be going to bed soon." JJ

"One game and then we can fight that fight." Will

/

Mariah and Luke

"We need to make them live together." Luke whispered

"If they kiss they will fall in love." Mariah

"Who told you that?" Luke

"Aunt Pen, I can ask again to make sure." Mariah

"We can't go upstairs." Luke

"I bet if I ask them because we want her to play with us, I can get them to go get her and she will help us." Mariah

"Are you sure she will help?" Luke

"Yeah, she loves things like this." Mariah

"Let's go ask." Luke

"Mommy, can Aunt Pen come down to play the game with us?" Mariah

"Please Jen" Luke

"I feel like I am missing something but Will if you don't care to go ask her to come down." JJ

"Okay, you two go play while I ask her. Jen, I'll check on things." Will getting up.


	19. Chapter 19

Basement

"Do we know if he is actually coming out?" Emily asked

"No, but he can't get in everything is boarded up on the inside and outside." Bill

"Jen and the kids going downstairs was a precaution." Tom

"Yeah, we wanted to make sure JJ was okay and this way the kids might not here that much of the storm." Rossi

"I think they should stay down there until we catch this SOB, bring the files up here we can look over them." Morgan

"The computer is already set up downstairs." Garcia

"We won't be able to use them." Will coming up the steps

"Everything okay?" Hotch

"Yes, the kids are requesting that Penelope come play games with them." Will

"Then it's settled I am going down to play with the little munchkins." Garcia, heading down to the shelter.

"Heard any more about when it's supposed to make land fall." Will asked

"Yeah within the hour." Reid

"Sandy and Emily will probably be down next." Rossi

"Because we might break." Emily rolling her eyes

"It could happen" Morgan smirking

"It's picking up strength we could all be done there." Tom

"They think it's going to come in as a three." Bill told Will

"Great" Will as his phone rang

"It's Josh, guess we'll know where he is." Will told the group

"Just remember he can't know that we think of him a suspect." Rossi

"Hello" Will shaking his head

/

"Hey man, I wanted to check on you guys." Josh

"We're completely boarded up waiting on this to hit." Will

"Good. Are you and Luke at your dads?" Josh

"Yeah, it's better than my apartment." Will

"This is true. FBI still here?" Josh

"Yeah, we still have a case to work; the storm just delayed it a little." Will

"How's that working out for you with the blonde being there?" Josh

Will wanted to go through the phone, he hated when Josh called JJ that, even when she left and he didn't know why.

"Everything's just fine." Will

"Will you are not falling for her again. She left and you were crushed, don't let her pull that again." Josh

"Nothing to worry about there." Will

"You are trying to get punished." Josh

"Change the subject because it's none of your business." Will

"Learn anything about the guy doing this; the rumor around the station is that you are working two cases not just one." Josh

"No, we haven't and there is another case that BAU is helping with but couldn't tell you much about it." Will

"You have the luck." Josh

"I guess. Are you out patrolling?" Will

"Yeah, I am headed your way to check on a couple of the houses out there. The house Jen lived is one of them, if I know your daddy the house is well boarded up." Josh

"Yeah inside and out, it will probably take another three days to get all the boards off." Will

"Good, so I can skip your house." Josh

"Yeah, the phones are starting to jump I'll talk to you later." Will

"Talk to you later man." Josh as he hung up.

/

"He's probably right outside." Will turning to look at the group

"You did a good job. I am assuming he was asking about the cases." Rossi

"Yes and wanted to know if you all were still here." Will

"Did he ask about Jen or Mariah?" Bill

"Jen but more of how were we working together." Will

"Nothing about Mariah?" Morgan

"Nope, didn't even act like he knew about her." Will

"He knows that we are still here and I don't believe that he is crazy enough to try anything with all of us here so let's look at the files see if there is anything to point to him." Hotch

"I'm going back down. Let me know if you need anything." Will

/

Shelter

"I heard the munchkins wanted me to play a game with them." Garcia as she walked in

"You heard right. Anything new?" JJ

"It's going to be stronger than they thought." Garcia

"Great. Whatever the two of them are up to you are not allowed to encourage it." JJ looking over at the kids

"Got it, tell you if it's important." Garcia

"Yes, they have been whispering since Will came upstairs." JJ

"We haven't had a chance to talk are you doing okay with everything." Garcia

"Yeah, it all still seems like a dream and I do mean all of it." JJ

"It's kind of cool that sugar pop is getting to know the rest of her family." Garcia

"I am about to sound crazy but that's also the hardest part of all this." JJ

"Why?" Garcia sitting next to JJ

"Because I still love him, not that you couldn't tell that but I am still afraid of how this could end." JJ whispered

"He loves you and Mariah it is going to end the way it should. The two of you together." Garcia whispered

"Thank you." JJ

"No problem at all Gumdrop." Garcia

"Aunt Pen come play with us." Mariah

"Go on. I am fine" JJ

/

"What are the two of you playing?" Garcia

"Monopoly, but we need your help." Mariah whispering the last part

"Help with what?" Garcia whispered back

"First you have to promise not tell anyone." Luke whispered

"Okay." Garcia

"We want all of us to live together, but mommy and Will say that we can't because of a lot of other things." Mariah whispering

"Okay" Garcia

"We need your help to make them kiss." Luke

"Why do they need to kiss?" Garcia

"That way they will fall in love and we can all live together." Mariah

"We don't know how to make them kiss and Mariah said you like things like this." Luke

"Ahh, well sugar pop is right about that but I don't know if tricking JJ or Will is the best way." Garcia

"Please, Please we really want for all of us to be together and." Mariah stopping

"And what?" Garcia

Mariah looked at Luke, when he shook his head she knew it was okay to answer Garcia.

"We both want to have a mommy and a daddy in one house." Mariah whispered

"Aww of course I'll help." Garcia, looking over at JJ

/

Will walked into the shelter; he sat down next to JJ.

"Did Garcia tell you that it was getting stronger?" Will asked

"Yes. What else is going on?" JJ

"Josh called me to check on everything." Will

"What did you tell him?" JJ

"That we were boarded up in and out." Will

"Did he ask about?" JJ not wanting to finish

"He asked how we are working together but didn't ask about Mariah." Will

"Maybe we're wrong." JJ

"You don't believe that. What are they plotting over there?" Will looking at the kids and Garcia

"Not sure but I am sure it has something to do with us and that I don't want to know." JJ

"What else are you thinking about?" Will asked

"The kids, us, Macy and Lauren, the unsubs, the storm and why my dad had a pill bottle and he wouldn't talk about it." JJ

"Shane and Kris will make sure Lauren and Macy are taken care of. There isn't a lot we can do about the storm at this point but wait it out. We are fine and the kids are over there plotting against us. You need to talk to your dad again." Will rubbing her hand

"He didn't want to talk about it." JJ

"Ask him again, maybe it really is nothing." Will

"You're right. I'll talk to him again." JJ

/

"Aunt Pen, how do we get them to kiss?" Mariah

"It may take a little time or you could just ask them to kiss." Garcia

"I am not asking." Luke

"Me either" Mariah

"Maybe we need more help." Garcia seeing Emily and Sandy come in.

"Who else will help us?" Luke asked

"I think we can get Emily to help." Garcia

"She might tell mommy." Mariah

"Not if you make her pinky promise." Garcia

"Before we tell her she has to pinky promise." Mariah

Garcia wanted to laugh at how serious they were about this, but knew she couldn't.

"Pen, we need you for a minute." Emily

"Okay, you two stay here." Garcia looking at the kids.

/

"What's up?" Garcia walking over to the adults

"The storm is a level 3; everyone is going to end up down here. We need to make sure that we all stay calm." Sandy, looking at JJ

"I am fine." JJ

"No, you're in trouble both of you are. You just don't know how much yet." Garcia whispering as she looked at JJ and Will.

"What are they plotting?" Will

"Can't tell you yet because they need someone to trust but Em can later." Garcia

"PG please just tell us." JJ

"Check your phone." Garcia as she texted JJ, Emily and Sandy

_They want the four of you to live together, so they are trying to find a way for the two of you to kiss because then you will fall in love. I know I said I wouldn't help but then sugar pop said it's because they both want a mom and dad in one house. I couldn't say no. PG_

"You are screwed." Emily

JJ finished reading the text and then handed her phone to Will.

"All those times I told you she was just like you, I was right only now she has help." Sandy

"That doesn't help us out and you are the one that said take our time." JJ

"Well that was until Penelope's text." Sandy

"Mom" JJ

"Both of you admit that the text makes you rethink things." Sandy

"We really what to stick to the plan that we have." Will

"Good luck with that." Emily laughing

"Come play with us Aunt Pen and Aunt Em." Mariah

"Remember she is sharing everything with Luke." JJ looking at the two women

"And that's fine; I need a nickname for him." Garcia walking away

"Does she have one for Will yet?" JJ looking at Emily

"You know it and I will tell you later." Emily

"So it's one that can't be repeated." JJ

"You know her." Emily walking away.

"What does that mean?" Will

"It's not rated G." JJ laughing

"Will they probably need help getting everything down here." Sandy

"Yes ma'am. I'll go help." Will getting up

/

Sandy sat down next to JJ

"You sure you're okay?" Sandy

"About the storm yeah; I mean I am not thrilled that it's coming but I'll be okay." JJ

"What's on your mind?" Sandy

"Before Pen's text, I was thinking about Dad." JJ

"What about your Dad?" Sandy

"Have you talked to him, I mean other than about the case or the kids." JJ

"Not really. He apologized to lying to me about everything and leaving the way he did. Why?" Sandy

"When we brought the kids down here, dad was putting up the files and I noticed a pill bottle sitting on the desk. When I asked him about it he said it was nothing and not to worry about it." JJ explaining

"But a part of you is." Sandy

"Yeah, I hate what he did and yesterday seeing that's all I felt but he is still my dad and I don't want something to be wrong with him." JJ

"Jen, I don't know if you remember but when you were little you were always with your dad. You would wait for him to come home from work; Daddy's little girl." Sandy

"I remember some of that but I remember more of us arguing and fighting." JJ

"That didn't start until you were around eleven and after Shell died everything between the two of you changed." Sandy

"Why?" JJ

"You two are just a like. When Shell died neither of you would talk at least not about your feelings and then he was afraid that you would make the same mistakes Lauren made, the same mistake we made." Sandy

"The mistake you made." JJ now confused

"Jen, we both love all four of our children but neither of us wanted to get married." Sandy

"Then why did you?" JJ

"I got pregnant with Lauren and my dad was not having an unmarried teenage mother in house, so we got married. We were lucky enough to get four beautiful kids but the love that we should've felt for each other wasn't there." Sandy

"You didn't love each other." JJ

"We loved each other but we were not in love with each other and those are two very different things." Sandy

"I did though; the only difference was that I didn't get married." JJ

"You also went further than either me or your sister and yes, I helped you with Mariah but Jennifer you raised her." Sandy

"Will thinks I should talk to Dad again. What do you think?" JJ

"He is going to protect you, that's what he was trying to do with this whole mess. Let me talk to him first." Sandy

"Thank you mom" JJ

"No problem and Jen I shouldn't have told you and Will what to do. The two of you need to decide how fast or slow you want this to go." Sandy

"You were watching out for us. I think we are going to try to stick to the plan and get to know each other again before we make any big decisions." JJ


	20. Chapter 20

They were all in the shelter and could now here the wind outside. JJ was talking with Emily and Penelope; Luke was with Bill; Sandy was talking to Tom and Dave; Hotch, Morgan and Spencer were sitting in one of the corners talking about the case; and Mariah was talking to Will in the other corner.

"JJ, you still with us?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, sorry." JJ looking back at the two women.

"Where did you just go?" Penelope

"I was watching Riah and Will." JJ

"They are cute together and she seems like she's comfortable around him." Emily

"She's had a lot to process over the last twenty-four hours. I guess we all have." JJ

"Everyone seems to be adjusting well especially the kids." Garcia

"The kids are funny." Emily laughing.

"Are you going to tell me what they are plotting?" JJ

"I told you when I texted you." Garcia

"Yes, but I believe that there is more." JJ

"There really isn't." Garcia

"I told them that you two shouldn't be tricked and everything will work out but they still want all four of you under the same roof." Emily

"I think it will happen it's just going to take some time." JJ admitted

"What's holding you back?" Garcia

"I don't want it to be because all of the stuff going on with the cases. I want to make sure that none of us get hurt." JJ

"Take your time, he will wait for you." Emily reassuring her friend.

/

Mariah and Will

"Why did I come here and not go home?" Mariah asked

"Your momma thought that you would be safer here. Do you want to go home?" Will confused

"You didn't think I would be safer. No only if you are going with us." Mariah

"I did but that was a decision your momma needed to make. Princess when you first go home it will be just you and momma but I will be there to visit and you will be coming here." Will told her.

"Why do you have to stay here? I want Luke to come too." Mariah

"I know that you want Luke to come too. Jen and I have to get to know each other again and then we will see what happens. No matter what we both are going to be there for you." Will

"But it'll be harder for you to be my daddy way down here." Mariah

"Is that what you are worried about?" Will asked.

"Yes, what if you forget me?" Mariah

"That is never going to happen." Will

"How do you know that?" Mariah

"Mariah even if you weren't my daughter you are to special to just forget." He told her.

"I am?" She was confused.

"Yes, I know your momma tells you that you are special and everyone in this room loves you." He told her

"Mommy says I am special and that she can't forget me because I was in her belly. Do you know how I got in her belly?" she asked

Will looked at JJ than looked back at Mariah, before answering.

"Do you know how you got in there?" Will asked

"No, mommy said I have to be older." Mariah

"I agree with your momma and that is something she will have to explain you." Will

"Oh, why am I special to you then?" she asked

"One reason is because you are my daughter and I can't imagine not knowing you better. You are also the best part of both your momma and me." Will smiling

"I like that." Mariah smiling

/

Rossi, Sandy and Tom

"She's worried about you." Sandy told Tom.

"Why?" Tom

"The pill bottle, our daughter has not changed that much. Jen thinks you are hiding something and to be honest so do I." she told him.

"Does she also know about the two of you?" he asked

"Yes she does." Sandy answered which surprised Dave.

"I have cancer, stage 4. That's the reason I bought the house it's in Jen and Mariah's name. Sandy, she doesn't need to know there is already to much going on." Tom

"You're trying to protect her." Rossi

"Yes, we catch these guys and I know that they are safe I will talk with Jen but not before that." Tom

"How long have you known?" Sandy

"Six months, I probably have another two left. I had planned on going to Virginia to talk to her explain everything but when this case came up, I knew Bill would call Dave and I knew that meant Jen would be here." He told her.

"Tom, what about Lauren and Kris? I mean are you going to tell them." She asked

"Yes. You know that I talk to Kris he knows that I've been sick but doesn't know how bad and like Jen I need to apologize to Lauren for lots of things. I would like to tell them all together but I don't know if they will all agree to do it." Tom

"I will help you with that." Sandy

"Sandy, you don't have to. I wasn't the best to you either and I am truly sorry for that." He told her

"We were young and dumb but somehow managed to have four amazing children. You did want I was afraid to do, when you filed for divorce I don't regret anything but we both neither of us was perfect." She explained.

"You two look happy and you deserve to be happy." He told both of them.

"Thank you, I am." Sandy smiling.

/

Hotch, Morgan, and Spencer

"I still don't see a connection to JJ." Spencer

"Neither do I other the last victim look like her and the one before looked like Will's sister." Morgan

"We may need JJ or Will to look at the pictures they may see something that we don't see or know." Hotch

"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean JJ's been through a lot." Morgan

"I know but this may be the only way to connect anything." Hotch

"JJ, can you come here a minute?" Hotch

"Sure." JJ slightly confused, as she got up to walk over to the men.

"What's going on?" JJ asked the three men.

"We were wondering if you could look at the pictures of the original victims." Morgan

"Yeah, do you think I knew them?" JJ

"No but maybe they looked like someone you knew." Hotch

"Okay, if it will help the case." JJ

Spencer handed her the folder, JJ sat down in the chair looking at the girls pictures. They did look familiar but she didn't know why.

"They look familiar but I can't place where from." JJ flipping through the photos again stopping at the girl with red hair.

"Bill, do you still have the pictures of when Kirsten and I played soccer together." JJ asked turning to look at him.

"Yes, they are in an album." Bill looking up.

"Can we get to the albums or do we have to wait until after the storm." JJ

"They are in the basement. Will do you know where they are?" Bill

"Yes, I can get them." Will looking at Mariah and then Jen.

"Mariah come sit with me while your mom and dad work. Luke you too." Sandy

/

Ten minutes later Will came back down to the shelter carrying the albums.

"I am not sure which one it would be in." Will told the group.

"JJ what are we looking for?" Emily

"I might be able to find it faster, but it's a team soccer picture." JJ as she took one of the books from Will.

"Why don't Tom, Will and I go through the other ones?" Bill

"Okay." Rossi watching them open the albums.

JJ started looking through the album realizing quickly that most of the pictures were of Sophie, there was a few of her with Will's mom. She was going through them quickly as she got to the back of it she seen the pictures of her and Will together at school dances, she closed the book.

"It's not in this one." She announced.

"Here's another one." Will handing her the next album.

She opened seeing the pictures of Kirsten; she almost started laughing at some of them. On the third page she found the picture she was looking for.

"Here it is. Is it okay if I take it out?" JJ

"Of course, you can Jen." Bill

"Look at the front row and the original victims." JJ carefully handing the picture to Rossi.

"The soccer team. Did any of these girls date Josh?" Rossi asked

"Josh did really date; he did hook up with a couple of them." Will told the team.

"Does he have kids?" Hotch

"No" Will

"But it was rumored that Kelly had gotten pregnant after hooking up with him and one of the other girls had a little sister, who some said was actually hers." JJ

"That would've been Leah, it turned the little sister was hers but she would never name the father. Mike said once they were pretty sure the little girl was Josh's but her parents didn't want him to have anything to do with her." Will

"And the other girl?" Morgan

"She didn't have the baby." JJ said casually.

The look on some of the men's face was shock on the way JJ said it.

"What? It's obviously not the decision I made but it was hers and no one should judge her decision." JJ

"If both kids were taken from him that could be a stressor." Emily

"How old where the little girls before?" JJ closing her eyes when she heard the rain.

"2 or 3 years old all still babies." Tom told them

"Now, Mariah and JJ would be the right age." Spencer

"Great." JJ

"You both are safe." Tom

"We can't stay in this room forever." JJ

"You are right and as soon as the storm gets over with we are going after him." Rossi

"Dave is right. Shane was picking up the other guy and we will get Josh." Hotch told her.


	21. Chapter 21

They were on their third day in the storm cellar, according to Bill they should stay down there one more night to be safe; they storm had finally passed them earlier that morning after stalling. Everyone was starting to get restless especially Mariah and Luke; JJ had taken them out into the small hallway to let them play away from the adults. She was sitting against the wall closet to the door when Will joined them.

"You look like you're having fun?" he told her sitting next to her.

"Loads of it, as long as Mariah and Luke are that's all that matters." She replied watching as Mariah climbed the ladder to the third step before jumping back down.

"Well, that might wear them out some." Will shaking his head.

"What were you smiling about so big earlier?" she asked placing her hand on the ground between them.

JJ missed him touching her even if it was just holding her hand; they were trying to be careful not only around the kids but everyone else.

"Mariah called me daddy and then Will once she realized what she said but the daddy part made my year." He told as we put his hand on hers.

"When she talks to me or mom she calls you daddy. I think it's testing the water thing." She told him smiling.

"So are you going to tell me what you really think of Dave's plan?" he asked.

/

_Flashback - The night before._

_JJ had finally gotten both Mariah and Luke to sleep and was honestly ready to go to sleep herself when Rossi told them he had an idea and wanted to talk to everyone in the hall._

"_Why are you standing way down there?" Emily asked him._

"_I am smart and I don't know if everyone is going to like this plan." He told Emily but was looking at JJ._

"_He doesn't want JJ to hit him." Morgan laughing._

"_Mom's close enough to him so is PG if I really need him hit." JJ smiling._

"_No hitting allowed it might hurt him." Hotch spoke up._

"_What's your plan?" JJ asked looking back at Mariah and Luke._

"_Let me finish before anyone says anything. We are all pretty sure Josh is our unsub but the only way to know that really is to question him and questioning a cop is never easy. After the storm what if he comes here to help us with the case." Rossi pausing, knowing someone was going to say something._

"_Have you lost your mind? Mariah is here." JJ asked._

"_No, I haven't. Mariah and you are the reasons I want him out here and before you flip out on me; you know that I would never suggests this unless I knew that both of you were going to be completely safe. I promise you I won't let him any closure to her or you then he needs to be." He told JJ._

"_Why would we need him to come out here?" Will_

"_Two reasons. First, I want to see his reaction to actually seeing JJ and then discovering the truth about Mariah. Second, if he thinks he is helping with the case then he won't think he is a suspect and he may slip up." He finished._

"_We could say that we took Will off the case when we figured out the connection that JJ and Mariah have to the case." Spencer_

"_I told him, I was working the case when he called the other night." Will_

"_At the time you were, we discovered the connection during the storm. You know him and you will be able to tell when he starts acting different, that will help us." Hotch_

"_What happens with Jen and the kids?" Sandy finally asked, looking at Rossi._

"_They will be upstairs with us Mariah and Luke will always be with you, JJ or Will and one of us. We stick to the plan that we had before the storm with the case from PA being worked in the backroom." He explained more._

"_JJ, Will what do the two of you think?" Morgan asked._

"_I don't like Mariah or Luke being involved in this at all. I understand the reasoning behind it but I would prefer that they are either outside or in the basement when he is here and if they are outside then least three adults and two who can carry a gun." JJ looking at Will, her mom and dad and Bill._

"_We need him to meet Mariah even if it's just for a couple of minutes; he's going to know whose daughter she is when he sees her." Hotch_

"_I agree with Jen and if he meets her it's completely in passing nothing to long." Will_

"_Jen, are you okay with this plan?" Tom asked._

"_Yeah as long as it's in passing and she is around to much." JJ answered._

"_Okay, I promise we will keep you both safe." Rossi told her._

"_If I didn't believe that, this wouldn't be happening." JJ_

_/_

JJ and Will

"I am okay with it but still a little nervous. What about you?" she asked.

"About the same, I am going to have watch my reactions around him." He told her.

"Will, let him say what he wants about me or the fact that you just found out about her. As long as he doesn't say it front of the kids, I will be fine." JJ

"It's not always that easy." Will

"You are going to have to get ahold of Kim too." JJ

"I know she is probably going to want to come out here and see Luke. You are going to have to play nice with her." Will

"It might be easier this time. What do you think she is going to say about our arrangement?" she asked.

"Probably more than she should but honestly it's none of her business. Mike's family is only supposed to see him once a month anyway for a couple of hours per the court, I have let them see him more because I think he needs to know them but if she starts to much that could change." He told her.

"I don't want Luke hurt in any of this and he should have a say when he sees them and when he doesn't. I am not trying to tell you what to do." She replied.

"You are telling me your opinion." Will laughing.

"Yes, we both know that I have always been good at that." JJ smiling.

"You have been and you're right. I will talk to him after Kim sees him and I explain everything to her." Will.

"Then we have to deal with the kids and us going back to Virginia." She told him.

"I may just be as bad as them I don't want to think about the two of you not being here." He admitted.

"Can we really go back to feeling the exact same way we felt ten years ago?" she asked.

"Yes, because I don't think either of us gave up on the other. Jen, I am not going to push you. Luke and I will come up a couple of days after you get back home." He told her.

"I am not afraid of you pushing me; you may have to push me. I am afraid of all of us getting hurt." She told him.

"Let's see how the next month goes with us visiting each other and then you and I will sit down and talk about what happens next. If we can make a decision before school starts for them it might be better for them." He suggested.

"And us?" she asked.

"That's up to you. I told you I love you and that I have never stopped loving you. I will take things with us at your pace." Will told her.

"It's funny we have been in the same room for the last three days, but I have missed you and this feels right." JJ looking at their hands.

"I know but we are about to get interrupted." Will looking at Mariah and Luke.

"We should probably get used to it." JJ laughing.

**Tell me what you think.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry, it's been awhile since I've updated this story. I had a major block on it and I think it will be wrapped up in the next chapter or two. Read and Review.**

* * *

The next day after the boards were pulled from the windows and doors and luckily there was not a lot of damage done to the house; a couple of shingles had come off the roof and a lot of broken tree branches. JJ and Will decided it would be okay to let Luke and Mariah out of the house; they were both bored and needed some fresh air.

"Hey, you want to take them for a walk?" Will asked JJ.

"Sure but shouldn't we be helping." She asked.

"Everything is fine here and the kids need to get out." He replied.

"Okay, when are you calling Josh?" she asked.

"Not until we get back." He told her as they both went out into the yard.

"Mariah, Luke do you want to take a walk?" JJ asked.

"Yes, please." Mariah as both she and Luke came running towards them.

"Let's go then." Will laughing.

JJ realized that they were walking towards her dad's house, they watched as Luke and Mariah ran ahead of them a little.

"You okay?" Will asked her.

"Yes, although we went out to the house to get my dad, I didn't plan on go back to it." She admitted.

"Why not? We had fun there."

"We did and I'm almost positive that is where a certain someone came to be. Maybe that's why even the good memories hurt."

"I don't want you sad; we don't have to go there."

"I am not sad and it will be good for me and Mariah to see the house."

"Mommy, look Nana and Grandpa Dave are at that house." Mariah yelled running towards the house.

"What are they doing here?" JJ asked

"I'm not sure, I didn't know they had left." He told her.

/

Sandy and Dave were standing in the middle of the yard, when JJ and Will came up to them.

"What are you four doing?" Sandy asked.

"Letting the kids get some fresh air and run some." Will told them.

"What are you guys doing?" JJ asked.

"We came to check on the house with your dad." Rossi.

"It's doesn't look like there is any damage was done." Will looking at the house.

"Not to the house, but the shed is gone." Tom coming to the group.

JJ watched Luke and Mariah run around the yard.

"That can be replaced." Sandy

"If Jen wants it replaced, then it can be." Tom told them.

"Me? Why would you need my permission to replace it?" JJ looking at her father.

"Mommy, can we play on the swing set?" Mariah asked before Tom could answer her.

She noticed that it was on the side of the house and they could still see them.

"Dad, is it okay?" JJ asked.

"Since it's hers I would say yes." He replied.

"Mariah go ahead." Sandy, realizing JJ was confused.

"Dad, what's going on?" she asked

"I bought the house but it's in your name. The house is Mariah and yours." He admitted.

"Why would you do that? I mean I don't understand" she told him.

"I messed up and you are going to need a place to stay when you are here. I didn't want the truth to come out the way that it did, I was planning on coming to tell you and explain things. I also planned on talking to Will and Bill but the case came up and you were here. Jen you were happy here and I wanted you to be happy again." He explained.

"Thank you but I can't." she started.

"You can." Tom looking at Sandy and Rossi.

"Tell her." Sandy

"Tell me what?" JJ, looking at her dad.

"I'm sick, really sick and I wanted to do something for you. Jen, take the house, you can do what you want with it." He told her.

"Are you going to get better?" she asked.

"No and I am not telling you to worry about me. We can talk about it more after the cases are solved and if your brother and sister will agree to see me." Tom, as the car pulled up.

Will, Jen, and Rossi turned to look at the car, while Sandy walked towards the kids.

"Who is that?" Rossi asked.

"Josh" Will

/

Josh got out of the car, one of the first things he noticed was how close JJ and Will were standing to each other, and then he noticed the kids.

"Glad the house is still standing." He told the group as he walked up.

"Yeah, both houses are good. What's in town look like?" Will asked

"A little flooding but so far not to bad, but we'll see if everything holds." Josh answered.

"I was going to call you. You remember Jen and Mr. Jareau and this is Agent David Rossi." Will

"It's good to see you both again. It's nice to meet you Agent Rossi." Josh as he shook their hands.

"How's your dad?" Tom asked.

"He's doing good, getting ready to retire." He replied.

JJ almost froze when she felt Mariah grab her hand.

"Mommy, come play with Luke and me." She asked.

Rossi watched Josh stare at Mariah and then Jen; he could see the jealousy in his eyes when he glanced at Will.

"I'll be there in just a minute. Please go stay with Nana." JJ told her.

"Please come soon." Mariah as she walked back to Sandy.

"She looks like Will." Josh commented.

"Yeah but prettier and the reason I was calling you." Will.

"I am going to take them back to your dads." JJ almost in a whisper.

"Not alone you aren't." Rossi

"I'll see if mom will go with me, I have my gun. If the kids aren't here it will be easier for you tell Josh about the cases." JJ trying to reason with Rossi.

"I really wish you would wait, until one of us went with you." Will told her.

She wasn't comfortable around Josh, Will could tell that but he wanted to make sure that she and Mariah were safe. He had missed the looks Josh was giving Mariah.

"Can we talk over there?" she asked him.

"Sure. Do the two of you want to fill Josh in?" Will asked Rossi and Tom.

"We will." Rossi told him.

/

JJ and Will walked over by the porch to talk, he knew she wasn't happy.

"Jen" Will

"He's starting at her and I don't mean in an oh my god she's Wills way but staring like he hates my daughter." JJ told him.

"Our daughter and I would never let anything happen to her." He told her.

"You still change when he's around, like you have something to prove. This is not about proving something to him." She was trying not to yell.

"I am not trying to prove anything to him." He told her.

"Then to who because that down there was sure the hell not you." JJ

"I see the way he looks at you, I hate that I can't doing anything about it. Instead I get to pretend he's my friend and that I can trust him around my kids. I am sorry if I am not acting the way you want me too." Will, now upset.

"It's not that I want you to act a certain way. I want you to be the person I love, the person that Mariah is accepting as her daddy and the person who is raising Luke. That's not who was back there." She explained.

"Jen, I am sorry I just don't know how to pretend that I don't see the way he looks at you and it not affects me." He told her.

"Go back with me or if they are going back we can stay there. Just stay with us." She told him as she put her forehead on his chest.

"I'll stay with you forever." He whispered

/

Josh watched the interaction between JJ and Will, he kept trying to listen to what Tom and Rossi were telling him but couldn't concentrate.

"Can you help us with this case?" Rossi, getting annoyed.

"Yes, sir I can." Josh replied.

"Then pay attention and stop staring at my daughter." Tom

"I am sorry and not to be rude but I remember how upset he was when she left and even if the little girl is his I don't want to see him hurt again." Josh lying to them.

"That's for them to work out." Tom

"If you can't keep your opinions out of it this case then we will find another cop." Rossi

"Sir, I will not say another word about Jen and Will." Josh told them.

"Fine then let's go back to Bill's and go over thing with the team." Rossi.

"Let me lock everything up." Tom

"Josh, would you like to meet us there. We need to get everyone else." Rossi

"I can wait." He wanted to see how JJ would react to him there.

"Give us a couple of minutes." Rossi, as he went towards Sandy, JJ, Will and the kids.

/

Rossi walked over to Sandy, JJ, and Will was all watching Luke and Mariah on the swing set.

"What do you think?" JJ asked.

"Does he know about the shelter?" Rossi asked Will.

"Yes, but doesn't know how to get in." Will

"When we go back to the house take JJ, the kids and Sandy back down there." Rossi

"You think he is the unsub." JJ

"Yes and he is jealous. So you are going down without an argument." Rossi told him.

"I am not arguing but I can't keep putting the kids in the shelter, they need to run around and isn't he going to notice that we just disappeared." JJ told him.

"I'll talk to Hotch and the rest of the team but for the most part you and the kids will be down stairs. Let's start back to Bills." Rossi told the group.

"Okay. Mariah, Luke come on." JJ


	23. Chapter 23

JJ was still uncomfortable knowing that Josh was in the house, she was now sitting outside with Sandy and Emily and they were watching Mariah and Luke play.

"You both don't have to stay out here." She told the other two women.

"We agreed three people." Emily.

"He's in the house and they are not going to let him out of that room." JJ told him.

"I don't care." Sandy

"In about ten minutes I am going to take the kids in. Emily, do you know what's going on with the cases?" JJ asked.

"Not much. I know that Hotch spoke with Shane but he didn't say too much, but I think that was because Josh was in the room."

"I should call and check on Lauren, she is probably going crazy." Sandy looking at JJ.

"You should. Are you going to tell her about Dad?" JJ asked.

"No, I told him I would let him tell each of you." She replied as she pulled out her phone and walked to the other end of the porch.

"What's going on with your dad?" Emily asked.

"He's dying. He bought the house for me and Mariah." JJ told her.

"Wow, I am sorry. This has been one hell of week for you." Emily

"That I couldn't agree more with, I just want the cases over with." She replied.

/

In the house

Will was watching Josh as the rest of the team, minus JJ and Emily, were telling him about the two cases. He was standing with his back against the door; there was no way he was letting Josh out of his sight, not with his kids and JJ right outside.

"We are going to have Will go over what he was working on, while we get the rest of the stuff moved up her." Hotch finished.

"Yes, sir." Josh

"Give me a minute and we can start." Will told Josh before he went out the door.

Morgan went out behind Will and followed him out the back door.

"Hey man, I know that this isn't easy. Hotch talked to Shane and the other guy was picked up and has confessed. Now they are trying to get him to admit who is partner is." Morgan told Will.

"Then why are we showing him that case." Will asked.

"We need him to think that both cases are still open." He explained more.

"All I can do is think about Jen and the kids." Will admitted.

"Let that motivate you. When you go back in there listen to whatever he has to say about JJ and you or Mariah. Will stay calm, I promise they will be safe." Morgan told him.

"Can you take them back to the shelter? I don't want them up here if he flips out." Will.

"Yes. Remember to stay calm." Morgan.

/

Will walked back in the room carrying two drinks.

"Sorry man, I brought you a drink back." Will as he shut the door.

"Thanks. How are you doing with all this?" Josh as he took the drink.

"The case or Jen and Mariah?" Will asked.

"Jen and the kid." Josh replied.

"I was in shock at first but we are working everything out." Will

"Are you sure the kid is yours?" Josh asked.

"She has a name and did you see her. Jen was never like the rest of the girls we ran with, I was the only person she was with." Will

"I would still want a DNA test and you are to calm. I can't believe you're not pissed she left and was pregnant and didn't think you had a right to know." Josh getting upset.

"She didn't leave because she wanted to leave; she was made to leave and for the record was told that I didn't want her or the baby. I don't need a DNA test, Mariah is my daughter." Will spat out.

"She has managed to get to you again. Are you moving to go live with them?" Josh, he was getting mad and annoyed.

"We haven't made any decisions. Why are you getting mad, it's not like she didn't tell you?" Will

"You will never get it." Josh

"Then tell me." Will challenging him.

"You had a right to know that you had a child and she kept that from you for ten years. I know that you think that she is special and you have ruined perfectly good relationships because you didn't feel that they lived up to the Jennifer standard that you set for them but she's a slut just like the rest of them." Josh told him.

"You have no right to talk about Jen like that." Will moving closer to Josh.

Neither of them heard the door open or seen Hotch or Rossi come back in the room.

"It's the truth." Josh taking a step towards him.

"Let me tell you what you will never get. She was sixteen and pregnant and then was told I didn't want her or the baby. Jen could have taken the easy way out and not had Mariah or given her up but she didn't. Do you really think that it was easy for her? I didn't know about Mariah but I don't blame Jen and now we are trying to figure out what is best for our daughter. I promise if you call her another name or look at either of them funny I will beat the hell out of you." Will told him.

"She did take the easy way that's not what you are seeing. She let other people tell her what to do instead of standing up for herself and she is a slut just like the others." Josh.

Hotch and Rossi both jumped in between them, but not before Will could punch him. Josh had managed to get out the door before any of them could get ahold of him.

/

5 minutes before.

Morgan, Reid, and Tom walked outside. They were going to help get the kids downstairs.

"JJ we should put you guys in the shelter." Morgan told her.

"Did something happen?" she turned to look at him.

"No, but I told Will that you and the kids would be safe and that's the best way to keep the three of you safe." He explained.

"There is something you aren't telling me but I'll get the kids." She replied.

"Come on, I'll help you." Tom told her.

Emily, Morgan, and Reid watched as they walked into the yard. Sandy was still on the phone talking to Lauren.

"Mariah, Luke we need to go into the house." JJ told them as she walked towards them.

"Please can we stay out a little longer?" Luke

"Please." Mariah.

"Unfortunately not now but maybe later." She told them.

"We were in the house a long time." Mariah

"Yeah and we need fresh air." Luke

"Kids, it's really important that you go in now like Jen said maybe later you can come back out." Tom

/

Bill came down the hall when he noticed Josh go towards the front door; Will, Rossi, and Hotch weren't far behind him. Once outside Josh looked around the yard noticing JJ and Tom standing with the kids; her mom was on the phone and the rest of the team was standing talking.

"What's going on?" Morgan when he seen Will, Hotch, Bill and Rossi coming on the door.

"Will and Josh had a disagreement and now we need to talk about it." Rossi moving enough that Sandy was out of Josh's sight.

"There was no disagreement." Josh told them.

"You know you hit below the belt in there." Will, noticing JJ was in the yard with the kids.

"It's the truth and you just don't want to hear it." He replied.

"Someone tell the rest of us what happened." Emily, she was hoping loud enough for JJ to hear her.

Tom looked up and noticed everyone standing on the porch.

"Jen, take the kids around the back but do it slowly." He whispered.

"What?" she replied.

"Take the kids around back slowly." He repeated.

/

"None of you need to worry about it. I'll do what he couldn't." Josh looking at Emily.

"Don't do something stupid." Will

He was to late; JJ looked up as Josh pulled out his gun firing one shot before Rossi shot him.

* * *

**Sorry to leave it this way. Tell me what you think. **


	24. Chapter 24

_Don't do something stupid." Will _

_He was to late; JJ looked up as Josh pulled out his gun firing one shot before Rossi shot him._

It all happened in slow motion, no one could move fast enough. They watched Josh's body fall on the porch; they could hear Sandy screaming for JJ but no one could move fast enough to find out if she was okay. Until one small scream came from the yard.

"Mommy!" Mariah screamed.

Will took off to the side yard, he stopped letting Morgan go ahead of him, when he seen her laying there on top of Mariah and Luke. He had promised her he would keep them safe and now she was laying in the middle of the yard, he had to see her. He finally made it her.

"Mommy!" Mariah was crying.

Emily had managed to get the kids out from under her. Will went and pulled them both in his arms; he could see Rossi trying to hold Sandy back.

"Emily" Will

"I don't know where the blood is coming from. She has a pause." She replied.

"Mommy please wake up."

Will's heart was breaking, he felt someone next to him; he looked up to see Bill standing there. Will gave him both kids to take away from this.

"Jen, please don't leave me again." He whispered in her ear.

"I don't think it's all her blood." Emily

"Jen, please open your eyes. Mariah, Luke and your mom are scared hell we all are." Will whispered to her again.

"Most of its Tom's blood." Hotch whispered to them.

"What?" Emily looking up at him.

"He took the bullet, he's alive but barely." Hotch explained more.

"Medics are on their way." Morgan

"It's coming from just below her shoulder." Emily

About the same time JJ started to stir a little.

"Jen, you're okay stay still." Will told her.

"Riah." she whispered.

"She is fine and with your mom." He replied.

"Keep talking JJ, you have to stay with us." Emily

"Promise me they are okay." She was still whispering.

"They are fine, you protected them. Jen you have to fight." Will told her.

Sandy had sat down next to Will.

"Baby you have always been a fighter don't give up. We all need you." Sandy told her.

/

3 hours later.

Emily stood at the door watching her friends, her family. Hotch had been in and out of the room using the phone, first calling Shane to have him bring Lauren and Chris there and then next to Strauss explaining to her what and now she was on her way there; Emily noticed that when he came back in the room the second time his eyes were slightly red, she knew he won't show any emotion in front of the team. She looked at Garcia, Morgan and Reid next; Morgan had his arms wrapped around Garcia whispering things in her ear. Garcia had tried to hold it together, her eyes were blood shot from crying and Morgan looked like he was pissed at the world. Emily believed that like most of them he felt guilty; he wanted to protect JJ and believed he failed. Reid was a completely different story, he looked like a lost little boy, JJ was his best friend and his big sister, she was afraid of how this was going to affect him. She slowly moved to Rossi, he felt guilty it was written all over his face. It was his idea to bring Josh on the case and he had promised all of them JJ and Mariah would be safe. Now he was dealing with his guilt over JJ and not taking the kill shot on Josh.

Emily's eyes went to the five people she had tried not to look at since they entered this room; Will, Sandy, Bill, Luke, and Mariah. Will hadn't spoke in a while and when he spoke earlier to any of the adults they were short answers; he was now sitting with Luke on one side of him and Mariah on the other. Emily had watched him comfort both kids and try to stay strong for Mariah, who had cried herself to sleep, she now had her head leaned up against Will and a death grip on Sandy's hand and Luke was asleep laying more on Bill but still holding onto Will. Bill looked like he was reliving the worst part of his life, they all knew he adored JJ and he was trying not think about what happened next. Sandy was in shock, she had only spoken to Mariah without being asked a question. Emily watched as she absent-mindedly rubbed Mariah's arm.

Emily didn't want to deal with her own feelings and she was sure at one point each of them had profiled the others; Hotch broke the silence.

"Shane just text they pulled just pulled up and Strauss is with them." He told the group but was looking at Sandy.

"I need to talk to Lauren and Chris; I don't wanting them waking up the kids." Sandy mumbled.

"I'll go and meet them and tell them as much as we know." He told her.

"Thank you." She told him looking down at Mariah.

/

Lauren, Chris, Shane, Strauss and Hotch walked back in the room.

"Mom" Lauren in almost a whisper, making Sandy look up from Mariah.

She slowly stood up as she slowly removed her hand from Mariah's before she hugged Lauren, Shane and Chris.

"Have you heard anything?" Chris asked.

"No, they said they would come back in and tell us as soon as they knew about both of them." She explained before sitting back down.

"Lauren and Chris this is Will and his dad Bill. I think you both know everyone else." Sandy looking back at Mariah.

Lauren, Chris, Will and Bill all nodded to each other. Rossi who was sitting next to Sandy moved so that one of her kids could sit next to her. He watched as Hotch spoke with Strauss low enough for no one else to hear. They all heard was the yelling in the hall, Bill looked at Will they both knew the voice.

"He doesn't need to be in here." Will told his told dad as the door slammed open.

/

Mariah and Luke both jumped and woke up when the door slammed against the wall.

"Mommy?" Mariah asked in a whisper.

"No princess not yet." Will whispered.

The team all looked at the older man standing in front of them and although they had not met him they knew exactly who he was.

"I want to know what happened to my son." He bellowed.

"I shot him and if you have any more question they will not be asked or answered in this room." Rossi standing up in front of the man.

"They will be answered where ever the damn well I please." He replied.

Strauss stepped in before the rest of the men on this team stood up.

"I am Erin Strauss and I am in charge of this team. You will respect my agent's family and more importantly her daughter and leave this room. When I feel that questions should be answered they will be until then you will not speak to anyone in this room." She told him

"Two of them report to me and I want answers." The chief told her.

"Actually as of three hours ago both Detectives are reporting to me. Now leave or I will have another one of my agents remove you." She informed him.

"This isn't over." He yelled as he walked out of the room.

Erin turned to look at the people standing behind her, they all looked in shock.

"There will be an Agent outside this door and their rooms." She explained.

"Thank you." Sandy

"You're welcome." Strauss.

"I want my mommy." Mariah told the group.

"I know, we all do. We have to wait." Sandy told her.

Mariah started crying again, making most of the adults in the room cry again. They all looked up when the door opened again and saw two doctors standing there.

"Are you the Jareau family?" the older doctor asked.

"Yes." Sandy as she stood up.

"All of you." The younger doctor.

"I am Jennifer's mother and Tom's ex-wife and yes everyone in this room is their family. Tell us what's going on." Sandy

"Okay, I am sorry Ms. Jareau." The older doctor.

"Please tell us." Will standing up.

Both doctors looked at each other not sure where to start.

* * *

**The next chapter will have all the answers. Thank you so much for the reviews, tell me what you think about this.**


	25. Chapter 25

"_I am Jennifer's mother and Tom's ex-wife and yes everyone in this room is their family. Tell us what's going on." Sandy _

"_Okay, I am sorry Ms. Jareau." The older doctor._

"_Please tell us." Will standing up._

_Both doctors looked at each other not sure where to start._

"I operated on Mr. Jareau the bullet hit his lung before exiting. We were able to repair most of the damage and due to the blood loss we give him a transfusion. Unfortunately, with the cancer we are not able to repair all the damage." The younger doctor explained.

"Cancer?" Lauren and Chris.

"Is he alive?" Sandy

"Yes, he is on a breathing machine to keep the pressure off his lungs. I am sorry with the advance stage of his cancer I assumed he had told his family." The doctor.

"He hadn't told our children yet." Sandy, looking at Lauren and Chris.

"I operated on Agent Jareau the bullet entered below her shoulder and bounced around. We were able to remove the bullet and repair the damage to the muscle but she lost a lot of blood and we had to give her transfusion as well. She is most likely going to need some rehab before she will be able to return to duty." The older doctor advised them.

"Jen is okay." Sandy repeated.

"Yes, ma'am she is going to be just fine." He reassured her.

"Can we see them?" Lauren asked.

"They are across the hall from each other. Yes, you can see them but only two people at a time." The younger doctor.

"Lauren, Kris go see your dad. Will and I will go see Jen." Sandy told them.

"I want to go too." Mariah looking at Sandy and Will.

"Princess, right now mommy is sleeping. Why don't you wait until she wakes up?" Will

"NO I WANT MY MOMMY!" she screamed.

Will looked at Sandy then at Lauren and Chris.

"Why don't you take her back with you, I'll go back later?" he suggested.

"I don't know if that's a good idea." Sandy

"Please Nana Please." Mariah pleaded.

"If the kids want to see Agent Jareau two adults can go back with them." The older doctor.

Sandy and Will looked at each other before nodding that they would take the kids back.

"Luke do you want to go with us?" Will asked.

"Yes, please." He whispered.

"Okay come on." Will replied.

/

The walked down the hall all six of them, stopping between the rooms.

"When one of you want to see your sister, I will trade rooms with you." Sandy told her two children.

"He told you about having cancer." Lauren, it was more of a question.

"Yes, he wanted to tell the three of you together and I was trying to respect that. You need to make peace with your dad; Jen told him she had stopped blaming him although she wasn't sure if she could forgive him. You both need to do the same thing." She told them before hugging each of them.

They watched Lauren and Chris walk into their dad's room; before they said anything to Luke or Mariah.

"Luke, Mariah you can't run in there and try to jump on Jen. She is asleep and probably will be for a while so neither of you need to be scared." Will explained.

"She may have some tubes on her so you have to be careful." Sandy explained more.

Both kids nodded before they walked into the room.

/

JJ was laying the bed, she had on an oxygen mask and was pale from lose of blood.

"Is she really okay?" Luke whispered.

"Yes, she is just resting." Will told him.

"Can we lay with mommy?" Mariah

"You both have to be very still." Sandy told them.

"We will. We promise." Mariah

Will lifted both kids on each side of JJ and then pulled a chair up next to the bed for Sandy to sit in before he went to the other chair and sat down.

"When she was five she climbed this big old oak tree that was in the back yard, she had somehow managed to get to the one spot that no one else could get to; she sat up there for almost two hours before admitting she couldn't get down. We had to call the fire department and right before they got there she decided she didn't want to wait anymore so jumped, scared the hell out of me." Sandy told Will.

"Did she break anything?" Will asked.

"Her leg but she also knocked herself out. When she woke up she asked when she could climb that tree again about six months later she climbed back up there. She has always been determined and hard headed." Sandy.

"Do you remember when the four wheelers were wrecked?" Will asked.

"Yes, she said you two didn't see the ditch." Sandy

"That was the story. Kristen and Jen decided that they needed to jump these hills because Mike and I could. We argued for an hour over it; she was determined that she could make the jump. I could never win an argument with her." Will giving a half smile.

"She always has to have the last word. Why didn't you guys tell us the truth?" Sandy.

"She was so afraid that Tom would be mad at her and they hadn't been fighting, so I made up the story. I wanted to protect her." He as he made sure the kids we're asleep.

"Can I ask you something?" Sandy

"Yes." Will looking from JJ to Sandy.

"If you would have known about JJ and Mariah; what would you have done?" she asked.

"Honestly, I am not sure. The only thing I know is that I would I have been right there with her, I love her both of them." He told her.

"Don't listen to any of us, don't let them go." She told him.

Will just nodded; he understood what she was trying to tell him.

/

JJ woke up the next morning, not knowing where she was; she could feel a small body pressed up against her and someone was holding her hand.

"Will." She whispered.

"Jen" as he looked up.

"Are they okay?" she whispered.

"Cher, they are both fine and trying to sleep and not move." He told her.

"Hey baby." Sandy looking up.

"Mom." She winced a little.

"Do you need some meds?" Sandy looking concerned.

"No. Dad pushed me out of the way." JJ starting to remember.

"He did and is across the hall. Lauren and Chris are with him." She explained.

"They are here?" she asked as she started to close her eyes.

Will watched as Mariah started to wake up.

"Cher, I need you to keep your eyes open for just a couple more minutes." He whispered.

"Mommy." Mariah

"I am right here baby close your eyes. I am okay." JJ whispered.

"I am not tired. I was scared." She whispered to JJ.

"I know baby so was I but you and Luke are okay." She explained.

"Hi." Luke lifting his head.

"Hi buddy." JJ smiling a little.

"Jen still needs her rest. Princess, Luke why don't I see if Grandpa will take the two of you to get something to eat." Will suggested.

"Can we come back to see Mommy?" Mariah

"Yes, I will come and get you but mommy needs her rest." Will told her.

"Go get something to eat, I will be just fine." JJ

Will and Sandy each took helped Mariah and Luke off the bed, before taking them out of the room.

"Will, can you let Lauren and Chris know that she is awake?" Sandy asked.

"Yes."

/

Will put his head in Bills room, getting Laurens attention, so that she would come into the hall.

"Hey Mariah." Lauren, smiling at them.

"Aunt Lauren." Mariah hugging her.

"You must be Luke. Sorry I didn't get to talk to you last night, I am Jen sister Lauren." She told him.

"It's nice to meet you." Luke

Lauren smiled at Will; they had all spent the night going back and forth between JJ and Tom's room and telling stories.

"How's he doing?" Will asked.

"About the same. How's Jen?" Lauren

"She's awake but still kind of out of it. I am going to see if my dad will take these two to get something to eat." He explained.

"But we get to come back and see Mommy." Mariah told Lauren.

"Yes, you do but I want you to eat really good first." Will

"She looks like you but she is just as determined as her mother." Lauren laughing.

"I am still debating on if that's a good or bad thing." Will laughing.

"Take them, I'll get see Jen." Lauren as she went towards JJ's room.

/

Will walked into the waiting room, holding both kids hand, it didn't look anyone had gotten much sleep.

"Will, is everything okay?" Rossi looking worried.

"Yes, Jen is awake or was she still is a little out of it but Tom is the same." He told the room.

"Thank God." Garcia announced.

"Can we see her?" Shane asked.

"Lauren and Sandy are in there now but I am sure you can go back." Will

"Thanks, I won't stay long." Shane told Will.

"No problem. Dad I was wondering if you can take the kids to get something to eat." Will

"Of course, we can go to the small restaurant down the street." Bill

"Thanks." Will.

"Do you care if I join you?" Garcia asked.

"No, I would love the company." Bill told her.

"The two of you be good and listen to Grandpa and Garcia." Will squatting down in front of the kids.

"We will." Luke.

/

After the kids, Bill, and Garcia left Will sat down in one of the chairs.

"Do we know what's going on with Josh?" he asked the room.

"He survived the shot and we have federal agents watching him." Hotch

"Has he talked?" Will asked.

"No, his dad won't let any of around him. He thinks that Rossi shot him for no reason." Morgan

"The fact that Jen and Tom are lying in a bed because of him doesn't mean a thing." He was getting mad.

"The Chief said it was self-defense and Josh didn't have a choice. I should have killed him." Rossi

"You did the right thing; he needs to suffer for what he did to those girls." Will

"I promised Jen and you that Mariah and she would be safe and that didn't happen. It's my fault that she and Tom are in those beds." Rossi explained.

"I promised her that they would be safe too. Neither of us could have predicted that he would act with all of us there and I pissed him off." Will trying to make Rossi understand.

"We need to talk to him." Emily told the group.

"Maybe I could get the Chief to let me talk to him." Will

"No offense man but that's not a good idea. He knows how to push your buttons and he will use that." Morgan

"I know your right." Will looking up at them.

"Strauss is trying to gets Agents from here to take over and talk to him." Hotch.

"Do you guys want to go back and see her?" Will taking a deep breath.

"Of course we do." Emily standing up.

/

Three hours later

Everyone but Sandy and Will had left and went to a hotel by the hospital. Sandy was in Tom's room while Will stayed with JJ.

"Where did everyone go?" JJ as she woke back up.

"They all went and stayed at a hotel down the street. Your mom is staying with your dad." He explained.

"Mariah and Luke went to?" as she opened her eyes more.

"Yes." He replied shaking his head.

"What did you have to promise her?" JJ trying not laugh.

"That she could come back before she went to bed and she was allowed to have some ice cream." He explained.

"How is my dad doing?" she asked looking across the hall.

"He's the same but the doctor said that the longer he was out the better his lung would heal." He explained.

"He saved my life, he saved the kids and now he's fighting for his life. It doesn't seem fair." JJ

"It's not and Rossi feels guilty, I think the whole team does. I should have never fought with him; I broke my promise to you." Will

"Nobody should feel guilty and you saved me." She told him.

"I didn't." Will

"You did. I had to fight for Mariah, Luke and you; the three of you are the reason I didn't give up." She explained.

"I love you so much." Will as he kissed her head.


	26. Chapter 26

_A month later._

JJ was now out of the hospital but still in New Orleans; she had made the decision to stay until her dad was home from the hospital, unfortunately he passed away two weeks ago. The team had come back for the funeral; Rossi had taken time off to stay with Sandy, JJ, Lauren and Chris. Mariah and JJ were staying at Will's apartment with Luke and Will; they were slowly becoming a family.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Mariah asked she and Luke was sitting at the table playing a board game.

"You and I are going to go see Nana and Grandpa Dave." JJ told her from the kitchen as she was trying to put dishes away, the sling wasn't allowing her to do more than one at a time.

"What about me?" Luke, turning to look at her.

"Remember your Aunt Kim wants to see you for a little bit tomorrow and Will has to work." She told him.

"I forgot." Luke.

"Buddy, it's okay. I think we are all going to have dinner with them and Bill tomorrow night." JJ as she turned to look at him.

"Okay." As he turned back to their game.

Will came in the room a couple of minutes later after taking a shower; today had been his first day back since everything with Josh and she was still trying to figure out how it went.

"You need help, Cher." He asked, stopping to hug each one of the kids.

"No, I have it. Do you want a beer?" she replied.

"Yeah." As he walked around the counter.

"How was today?" she asked while getting the beer out of the refrigerator.

"It was okay. Some guys talked to me, some guys didn't." he replied as he started putting up some of the dishes.

"Will, I can get it. You worked today." As she handed him the beer.

"And you have one good arm. I can help then we can cook dinner, eat and spend time together." He explained.

"I can't wait for this sling to come off. Hotch called today." She told him.

"What did he have to say?" Will asked as he was putting away the last of the plates.

"That the case is solid against both of them and that I won't have to testify. Josh's dad is asking for a deal but none of the victim's families will agree to anything less than life." She explained as she put away the silverware.

"The buzz around the office is they are asking for the death penalty on both cases." He told her

"Was everything really okay today?" she asked.

"Yes and No, it was good to be back at work but I missed the three of you. The tension around there is thick some people believe he is innocent and others don't." Will.

"I'm sorry." JJ whispered.

"You didn't do anything wrong and have nothing to be sorry for." Will looking over at the kids, before holding her hand.

"We missed you too." She told him smiling.

"You know we need to talk tonight after they go to bed." Will

"Yes, I keep putting it off because I don't want to think about it." She admitted.

"Despite everything that happened, I am so glad the two of you are here." He told here.

"Me too." She replied.

/

Will had put the kids to bed while JJ relaxed on the couch.

"Well them sharing a room isn't going to last." He told her as he walked back in the room.

"Are they fighting?" she asked.

"No, but neither of them wanted to sleep on the blow up mattress." He explained as he sat down next to her.

"If you want I could take her to my dad's." she whispered.

"No, we can figure it out. Do you want to go there?" he asked.

"No and Yes." She told him.

"Why?" Will

"Mariah and I have stayed with you for a month. I love that you and her are getting to know each other and I am getting to know Luke and I adore him. We are getting the chance to reconnect. But that's also part of the reason I think we should stay there, it's going to be harder on all of us when I go back to Virginia." She explained.

"I don't want to give either of you up again, not even for a couple of days. Seeing you laying on the ground at my dad's and then in the hospital bed, I have never been so scared in my life." He admitted.

"We are really back to square one again." JJ

"Maybe not, I was thinking you are going to have the sling on for another month and then what at least two months on rehab after that. Stay here and do it." He told her.

"How is that not going to make things harder when I do go back?" she asked.

"If everything is working out between the two of us then Luke and I will go back to Virginia with you and Mariah." He explained.

"You want to live in Virginia? It does snow there." She asked in disbelief

"I want to be where ever you and Mariah are and to be completely honest today sucked." Will

"Why didn't you tell me that?" JJ looking at him.

"There is nothing that can be done to change it; my dad was right when he took the retirement offer. I was going to put in for a transfer but that will take some time." Will

"You've been thinking about this." JJ

"Yes, for a little while. It's the best thing for all of us." He told her.

"How is you giving up your life here the best thing? What about your dad and Mike's family? That wouldn't be far to Luke just to take him away from everything." She replied.

"Jen, us all being together is the most important thing. My dad is going to start traveling more and I can bring Luke back to visit Mike's family. As far as Luke goes he would move tomorrow." Will explained.

She sat there staring at him.

"I thought this is what we both wanted to be together as a family. Jen is that what you want?" he was now starting to worry.

"Yes, it's what I want." She whispered.

"Then why are you fighting this?" he asked.

"I am afraid that you will resent me or this family if you give up everything." She whispered.

"I love you and those kids so much, I could never resent any of you." As he pulled her into his arms.

"I feel like I have taken so much from you already and this is just another thing." She told him.

"We have talked about everything with Mariah and me not knowing. What do you think you have taken from me?" he asked.

"Mariah to start, you missed out on so much with her and I don't know how to make that up to either of you. Then I come here and not only do you have a daughter but one of your close friends is a murder who wants me and her gone. Now, you are giving up your life and the only family Luke has. Do you really think that eventually you or him are not going to resent me or Mariah?" she told him.

"Neither of us is going to resent you or Mariah. Jen, the day you came back you made my life so much better. Do I think we still have things to work out? Yes, but they things we can work out. I can't or won't give you up again." Will replied.

"Tomorrow we talk to the kids about it but if we are staying here for the next three months we should all go to my dad's house. This way they both have their own rooms." JJ told him.

"Okay we only have one more thing to decide on." He told her with a smile.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Mariah's birthday." He replied.

"We can ask her about that in the morning." As she shook her head.

/

The next morning

Will and JJ were both up before the kids, she was glad Will was working a mid-shift that way they could talk to the kids. They were making breakfast when Mariah and Luke stumbled in.

"What time is Kim getting Luke?" she asked Will

"I told her I would meet her at my dad's around 10:30." He replied as he poured juice for the kids.

"I am going to my dad's I could take him." As she carried he eggs over to the table.

"Do I have to go with Aunt Kim?" Luke moaned.

"No, but you should. She has not seen you but once or twice over the last month." Will told him as he gave the kids their juice.

"Okay." Luke

JJ and Will finished putting the toast and bacon on the table before sitting down.

"Are you both awake?" he asked.

"Yes." Mariah and Luke.

"We need to talk to the two of you about a couple of things but this is just between the four of us. No telling Nana or either of your Grandpas." JJ started.

"Or your Aunt Kim." Will finished.

"Okay." Mariah

"Jen and I were talking last night and we would like to know what the two of you think." Will

"Okay." Luke as he took a bite of egg.

"Mariah how would you feel about staying here until my arm gets better?" JJ asked.

"I would like that. I like it here." She told JJ.

"That means at least three more months." JJ told her.

"Okay." She told them.

"Luke, after that we were wondering what you would think about going to Virginia." Will

"For how long?" Luke

"To live." Will replied

"With Jen and Mariah?" Luke asked.

"Yes, with Jen and Mariah." Will

"Okay, I want to stay with them." Luke before he took another bite.

"You understand that means you would have to make new friends and go to a new school?" JJ asked.

"Yes but where is Uncle Will going to live?" Luke

"I am going to live there too." Will

"Really!" Mariah yelled.

"Yes, we are all going to live together." Will told her.

"Good." Luke

"Both of you are okay with this." JJ

"Yes, we want to live together." Mariah

"We are also thinking that maybe we can start staying out at my dad's house." JJ

"The two of you would have your own rooms." Will

"That would be nice." Mariah

"Are you and Jen going to have your own rooms?" Luke asked.

"Umm, yeah I won't be on the couch anymore." Will looking at JJ.

"No you won't." JJ smiling.

"The last thing we need to talk to you about is Mariah's birthday." Will

"Mariah what would you like to do for your birthday?" JJ asked.

"Can we go to dinner?" she asked.

"Yes. Is that all you want to do?" Will asked.

"Can we all spend the day together? I want Nana, both my Grandpa's, Aunt Lauren and Uncle Shane and Chris too." She explained.

"Okay, I'll talk to them today. What about presents?" JJ

"Clothes, toys and some books." She told them.

/

Later that afternoon.

JJ and Sandy took Luke to meet Kim after JJ promised she would be cordial and then they along with Mariah went to her dad's house. Rossi, Chris, Lauren and Shane met them there. Mariah played on the swing set while JJ and the other adults were sitting on the porch.

"Have you decided what you are doing to with the house?" Chris asked JJ.

"Long term no." she replied.

"What do you mean long-term?" Lauren.

"Will and I talked last night, trying to figure everything out and I am going to stay here until after I am done with rehab. I thought that we should stay here until then, there's more room." She explained.

"Have the two of you decided anything else?" Sandy asked.

"Yes, Will wants him and Luke to move to Virginia." She told them.

"You don't sound sure." Chris

"I am sure I want us to be together." JJ

"Then why do you sound unsure?" Shane asked.

"It's more about him moving to Virginia then us being together." She told them.

"JJ please stop being vague." Rossi.

"I don't want him to be unhappy. He said work sucked yesterday some of the guys wouldn't talk to him and he wants to put a transfer in but I don't know if he is going to be happy in Virginia." She explained.

"Are you thinking of staying here?" Sandy asked.

"I was but now I am not sure. After everything that has happened I just want to be with my family but the problem is that half of my family is Virginia." JJ.

"It will work out." Lauren.

"I really hope so." JJ


	27. Chapter 27

**Hope you enjoy**

* * *

It was Mariah's birthday, the four of them were going to spend most of the day together then have dinner with the rest of the family later on. JJ had gotten up and made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, it was taking her longer then she planed one-armed.

"Cher, why didn't you wake me?" Will as he walked into the kitchen.

"I thought I could have them done before anyone woke up." She explained.

"What if I flip while you mix them?" he asked before giving her a kiss.

"One of these days you are going to get caught doing that." She told him with a smile.

"They both probably already know, yesterday Luke asked why the blankets on the couch are always folded." Will told her with a laugh.

"Before we move we can tell them." She told him.

"Sounds like a plan." As he flipped a pancake.

"What did you end up getting her?" she asked as she started to mix another batch.

"The necklace and a couple of other things. I have something for you." He answered.

"For me? Why would you get me something?" she turned to look at him.

"Well because even though today is Mariah's Birthday; you went through a lot 10 years ago today too. I thought that you deserved something too." He explained.

"How do you know what I went through?" she asked.

"When you were in the hospital; your mom told me about you being in labor for so long and that they thought they were going to have to do a C-section. She told me that you went through the whole thing natural because you were afraid it would hurt Mariah. I wish I could have been there for you." Will

"She was perfect, I guess all mothers think that but she really was perfect. She even slept through the night when she was a month old, I would just sit and watch her sleep. I wish you hadn't missed any of it but now you get to be here for all the important things that happened from now." JJ

"Tell me more about her as a baby, I read the journal but it stopped shortly after she was born." Will as he put the pancakes in the warmer; then he lead them into the living room.

"She has always looked like you and was always happy. Mariah only cried when she was hungry or needed changed and I could put her to bed at any time and she would lay there until she fell asleep. That's not really changed much, she still doesn't fight with me when I tell her its bedtime." JJ told him as they were sitting on the couch.

"So she's like me." Will told her.

"She can definitely be her father's daughter." JJ laughing.

"How does she like school?" He asked.

"She loves it. Reading is her favorite subject and she is getting more comfortable with science but it hasn't come as easy as other subjects for her. What about Luke is he really going to be okay changing schools?" JJ

"Yes, he has had trouble in school since Kirsten and Mike died. Dad and I were talking about putting him in a different school." He told her.

"What kind of problems?" she asked.

"You know that kids can be mean, he's been teased for not having a mom or dad." He explained.

"That is so wrong, especially since he's such a sweet kid." JJ

"I think I hear them. How do you usually do her presents?" he asked.

"One in the morning and the rest at her party, but since we are just going out to dinner we could do them all now." She replied.

"No, we keep it the same." Will

"Do I get my gift now?" JJ

"Maybe." Will laughing

/

JJ had managed to get Luke and Mariah to the kitchen table for breakfast, while Will went and grabbed her presents.

"Are we still going to the zoo?" Mariah asked.

"Yes and then later dinner with everyone." JJ as she took the pancakes out of the warmer.

"It sounds like it's going to be a fun day." Luke.

"I hope you both enjoy today." JJ smiling as she put the pancakes on the table.

"Can I get the butter and syrup?" Mariah

"Yes, I am getting your juice." JJ as Mariah jumped up.

"So after you eat, you can open presents in the living room." Will told her as he walked back in.

"Thank you." Mariah smiling at her parents.

"You are very welcome." Will laughing.

The kids hurried up and ate so that Mariah could open her presents.

"Mommy what about the one for Luke?" Mariah whispered.

"I'll go get it." JJ getting up from the table.

"Where you going?" Will

"To get something, please take them into the living room." She told him as she went down the hall.

Mariah wanted to get Luke a late birthday present, so JJ and Sandy took her shopping.

/

JJ came back into the living room carrying Luke's present, Will looked up confused he was sitting on the couch with Mariah and Luke on each side of him.

"Thank you Mommy." Mariah getting up to take the present from JJ.

"You are welcome." JJ replied as she watched Mariah turn to Luke.

"This is for you. Happy late Birthday." She told Luke as she handed him the present.

"Thank you." Luke as he looked at Will.

Will and JJ both smiled at each other.

"It's from me, mommy, and Nana. Grandpa Dave didn't know we went shopping." Mariah explained.

"You should open your presents first." Luke told her.

"No, you first please." She told him.

"Okay." As he started to open the present.

They all watched Luke open the new detective kit Mariah insisted that he needed.

"This is really cool and it has two shields." Luke

"One looks like mommy's shield." Mariah told him.

"Thank you, I love this." Luke before giving both Mariah and JJ a hug.

"You are very welcome." JJ laughing.

"Make sure you thank Sandy tonight." Will told him.

"I will. Mariah it's your turn." Luke turned to her.

Mariah sat back on the couch as JJ handed her gift.

"That ones from me." Luke told her proudly.

She opened a new set of her favorite Judy Blume books.

"She's my favorite, thank you Luke." Mariah as she looked through the books.

"This one is from me." JJ handed her the next present.

"Mommy, can I wear this tonight?" she asked looking at her new dress.

"Yes you can." JJ smiling.

"Thank you it's very pretty and my favorite color." She told her looking at the purple dress.

"You're welcome." JJ looking at Will.

"This is the last one for now." Will handing her the small box.

He was nervous that she wouldn't like his gift although JJ had told him she would, he wanted this to be a special birthday for her. He watched as she unwrapped the present and tried to open the box.

"Will you may have to help her." JJ

"Please." Mariah looking up at him.

"Here you." Will as he undid the small latch, before handing her back the box.

Mariah opened the box seeing the necklace that said "Daddy's Princess" in cursive.

"Can you put it on me?" She asked Will.

"Yes." He replied.

Mariah turned around so that Will could put the necklace around her neck and latch it.

"It's beautiful." Mariah

"So you like it." Will, still not sure.

"I love it. It's so pretty, thank you for getting it for me." Mariah with a huge smile.

"I am glad." Will told her.

"Okay go get dressed so we can get a move on it." JJ told both kids.

"Okay Jen." Luke as he jumped up and ran down the hall.

"Can I wear my necklace?" Mariah asked.

"Yes, but be careful changing your clothes." JJ told her.

"I can't read cursive." She whispered.

JJ realized that Mariah didn't know what the necklace said, she looked at Will.

"Your daddy can tell you." JJ smiling.

"It says Daddy's Princess." Will told her.

"I really do love it. Thank you Daddy." Mariah hugging him.

"Princess you are more than welcome." Will hugging her but looking at JJ.

"Go get dressed." JJ trying not to cry.

"Okay, mommy." As she went running down the hall.

/

"You okay?" JJ sitting down on the couch.

"Yes, she just made my day." He told her smiling.

"I told you she is perfect." JJ smiling.

"She is her mother's daughter." Will leaning over to kiss JJ.

"Then be ready when she's sixteen." JJ kissing him back.

"I told you!" Luke yelled making JJ and Will both jump.

"Told who what?" Will asked.

"Mariah." Luke smiling.

"What?" as she walked back in.

"They were kissing I saw them." Luke told her.

"Are you sure that's what you saw?" Will asked.

"Yes." Luke.

"I told you that you were going to get caught." JJ trying not to laugh.

"Does that mean you love each other now?" Mariah

"We have always loved each other, I explained this to you." JJ

"But now we are all living together is that because you kissed." Mariah

"We are living together because we want to be a family." Will told her.

"Let's go to the zoo and no more questions about us kissing." JJ getting up.

"Jen's right we have dinner tonight." Will as he stood up.

"We are waiting on the two of you." Luke laughing.

/

JJ and Will made sure the kids seen everything they could in five hours. JJ had forgotten how big the zoo was in New Orleans They feed the kids a light lunch and were now headed back to the apartment.

"Once we get home we will have about two hours before we have to leave." Will announced.

"Good thing there are two bathrooms." JJ laughing.

"I thought maybe the girls should shower first." He told her.

"Probably a good idea since I am going to have to fix both of our hair one-handed." She replied, looking in the back seat seeing that the kids were both taking a nap.

"I thought this was a casual place." Will

"It is but I still want to look nice and Mariah wants to wear her dress so I am betting she will want her hair fixed." JJ

"I don't know if I will ever understand women." Will

"I just hope we remember what it was like to be teenagers." JJ mumbled.

Will started laughing.


	28. Chapter 28

**This is the last chapter, I hope everyone enjoys this.**

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The dinner had turned more into a party; Chris's wife Sarah had come with three kids, Steve, Tyler and Madison; Lauren and Shane had brought Riley and Ben down, plus the team along with Jack was at the restaurant; where Rossi booked a private room. JJ was watching Mariah play with her cousins and Jack from her sit; trying not to be sad that her baby wasn't a baby.

"Penny for your thoughts." Will as he walked over with a drink.

"She's having a blast." JJ told him.

"I think they all are. What about you?" he asked.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Jen, you look sad." He told her.

"I was just thinking that she's not a baby anymore." She explained.

"This might be a good time to give you this." He explained, pulling the small box out of his pocket.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Your present but you should know that I bought this a long time ago." He told her.

"When?" she asked.

"I bought it while I was visiting Tulane, I had planned on giving it to you when I got back." He explained more.

She opened the box, seeing the small ring.

"You had been nervous about me going to college and you still being here. I wanted you to know that I was completely committed to you." He told her.

"This is beautiful." She told him as she put it on.

"I'm glad that you like it." Before he gave her a kiss.

"The kids bust us this morning, so now we are just letting everyone know." She asked teasing.

"Your daughter was heard telling your mom and sisters plus Emily and Garcia." He laughed.

"She is so your daughter." JJ laughed.

"I'll take it. I did notice that there was some presents with Luke's name on them." Will

"As you can tell David Rossi doesn't do anything small and once Mariah told him about us buying a late birthday present, Dave went and got Luke one and than Garcia heard about it and I bet you can guess what happened then. I would almost bet that there is two cakes." JJ explained.

"Mariah is okay with sharing today with Luke?" he asked.

"She told all the kids that he was their cousins and yes she is okay with sharing with Luke. Truth is she doesn't like being center of attention." She explained.

/

They all sang happy birthday to both Luke and Mariah after they opened their presents, then thanks to Morgan all hell broke loose.

"Mariah, watch this?" He whispered before he flung a piece of cake at Reid.

Mariah laughed and then she tossed a piece at Luke; the rest of the kids thought it was funny and started tossing at each other.

"Seriously Morgan." JJ yelled out.

"I didn't mean for it to get this bad." He told her before Emily smashed cake on his head.

All JJ and Will could do is laugh the kids, the big and small ones were having a blast.

"Now this is a party." Will laughed as he wiped icing on JJ.

/

Six months later

JJ came home early, she still wasn't allowed in the field due to more muscle damage then was original thought so she was still doing some rehab. Will had transferred to the police department in Washington but still another two weeks before he was going to start work. Mariah and Luke were both in school and they had moved into a nice townhouse.

"Will, I am home." She called out as she walked in the door.

"In the kitchen." He replied.

"Mommy." Mariah came out of the dining room to meet her.

"Hey baby. Are you done with your homework?" she asked as they went towards the dining room.

"No, we just started." Mariah informed her as they walked.

"Hey buddy." JJ when she seen Luke.

"Hi." He looked up from the book he was looking from.

JJ noticed that he wasn't smiling, she started to worry.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah." He replied looking back down at his book.

"Princess you need to finish your homework." Will as he came in the room.

"Okay." As she sat down at the table.

"How was your day?" Will asked JJ.

"Not bad, I have rehab tomorrow so I took the day off. How are you doing?" she asked.

"Good, why don't we talk in the living room?" he asked.

"Okay." JJ as she followed him towards the living room.

/

They both sat on the couch.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Luke had to tell his class about himself today." He started.

JJ knew that Mariah and Luke had some of the same classes and when they enrolled Luke in school Will made it very clear that JJ was just as much his guardian as Will was.

"Okay." JJ slightly confused.

"He told the class that we were his parents and Mariah was his sister unfortunately the teacher corrected him because she knows that we are only his guardians." Will continued.

"She did what?" she was now upset.

"She told him that we were not his parents but his guardians and Mariah was not his sister, of course that embarrassed him and Mariah is in the same class." He continued the story.

JJ knew this was about to get bad.

"Your daughter decided to get involved at that point and told the teacher that she had no right to tell him that he wasn't her brother because as far as they were concerned they are brother and sister. Then Mariah defined a family for the teacher and told her that she had apologize to Luke." Will

"What happened next?" she asked not sure she wanted to know.

"The teacher told Mariah to sit down and Mariah told her not until she apologized to Luke. Of course the teacher wasn't planning on apologizing she gave them both three warning to sit down before sending them to the principal's office. As your daughter walked out of the room she told the teacher to kick rocks and her Aunt Pen would make sure she could never get anything from the computer." He finished.

"She did what?" JJ almost in disbelief.

"She told her to kick rocks and then brought Garcia up." Will shaking his head.

"What did the principal say?" JJ

"About Luke he said that although the teacher was technically right, she should have never corrected him in front of other students and that he would address it with her. He understood why it was important to Luke not tell the other students about Mike and Kirsten after Luke explained that other kids had teased him about it. When he was told what Mariah said I had to explain that Garcia worked for the FBI on the Technical Department and that she meant a credit check; she has to apologize tomorrow." Will told her.

"The teacher needs to apologize to Luke." She told him.

"After the kids left the room, I explained to him that she did need to apologize to Luke. I also explained that if she thought Mariah was bad they didn't want you to come there." He laughed.

"I am proud of her for standing up for him but what do we do now." JJ

"I talked to my dad, after all this and he thought maybe we should think of adopting him." He told her.

"Is he really okay with that?" she asked.

"Yes he knows that we will never let him forget Kirsten or Mike. I have also been thinking about Mariah." He admitted.

"What about Mariah?" JJ now confused.

"I would like for my name to be on birth certificate. I'm not saying that we need to change her last name but I want to make it completely official." He explained.

"I want Luke to be just as much mine as Mariah is. Let's talk to them about." She told him.

"At dinner we can." Will smiling.

It was a short talk both kids agreed and Mariah even asked if it was okay to change her last name to LaMontagne; JJ agreed. While they explained to Luke that this would mean Will and JJ would be his parents but they were not replacing Mike or Kirsten.

/

Three months later

Rossi had everyone over for a nice dinner to celebrate JJ and Will adopting Luke and Mariah now officially being a LaMontagne. The whole team was there plus Sandy and Bill.

"Doesn't JJ get time off?" Emily asked.

"Probably if she wanted it." Morgan

"Why would she get time off?" Reid asked.

"Well according to the rules she would get time off for adopting." Garcia explained.

"We decided to wait." JJ told them.

"So you're not taking any time off?" Rossi asked.

"Yes, I have this week off but then I'll be back." She explained.

"They are right, you would get time off if you wanted." Hotch told her.

"We decided that she should wait." Will

"Why would you wait?" Sandy

"Until when?" Rossi

"We thought that around the end of November would be better." She told them trying not to smile.

"The end of November?" Bill repeated.

"Yes." Will

"What happens at the end of November?" Spencer asked.

Sandy realized what they were trying to tell them, she didn't ask if she was right when Luke and Mariah came back in the room.

"Did you tell them yet?" Luke asked.

"Tell us what." Bill

"Go ahead Mariah." JJ, Mariah was ready to bust.

"We are getting a baby sister." She announced.

"Nope a brother." Luke countered.

"You are getting one or the other no more arguing about it." Will looking at the kids.

"You're pregnant." Sandy looking at JJ.

"I really just felt sixteen again. Yes three months." JJ looking worried at Sandy.

"Congratulations both of you." Sandy standing up to hug both of them.

Everyone congratulate them on the new baby, plus making the other two official.

* * *

**I would like to Thank Everyone who has reviewed this story.**

** Please Review and let me know what you think.**


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